niiliHUiHniliHiiiiuiniiiHiiiiiHiiiiiuiHiiiiiiiiniiu»i(unuiaiuuuiHuuu*.niui{iuiiiiuuiiiiuuuiiuitutiiiitiiuiit!i 


ix  Of  tiiiiViV 


OCT '^3  1912 


DwisioQ    B/^  LJ  C>6 

Sertion      .M^^l 


Alli.U    T.    AKJKltlLL 


V 


N^ 


A    HISTORY 

of  the 


OCT  23  1912 


^H 


(CAI. 


CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 


IN  AMERICA 


1794-1911  A.  D. 


MILO  TRUE  MORRILL,  M.  A..  D.  D. 

Secretarif  for  Foreign  Mission 8 


DAYTON,  OHIO 

THE  CHRISTIAN  PUBLISHING  ASSOCIATION 

19  12 


Copyright,  1912 
The  AME21ICAN  Christian  Convention 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I 

Champions  of  Religious  Liberty  -  .  ■  -  .  In-fiT 

CHAPTER  II 
The  Spirit  of  the  Times,  1775-1805 68-81 

CHAPTER  III 
Upheaval  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Crust,  1775-1805      -  -  82-101 

CHAPTER  IV 
Sporadic  Growth,  1805-1818 102-118 

CHAPTER  V 
Early  Conference  Organizations — "Campbellism,"  1S19-1885       119-185 

CHAPTER   VI 

General  Conference — Publishing  Associations — Publications, 

1819-1849 .  .      ^     136-157 

CHAPTER  VII 
Revival    in     Secondary     Education — Early     Schools — Sunday 

Schools,  1818-1849 158-169 

CHAPTER  VIII 
Continued  Growth — Principles  and  Polity,  1833-1849  -         170-186 

CHAPTER  IX 
Fully     Developed     Denominational     Consciousness — College 

Building,  1850-1878 187-214 

CHAPTER  X 
Christian  Ge:nebai,  Convention — Other  Conventions — Journal- 
ism, 1850-1877  -.-.,..  215-240 

CHAPTER  XI 
Early  Missionaby  Efforts,  1825-1877      -         .         .         .         241-254 


CHAPTER  XII 
American    Chbistian    Convention — Sectional    Conventions — 
State      Conferences — Colored      Conferences — Statistics, 
1878-1894  - 255-272 

CHAPTER  XIII 
Continued  College  Building — Organized  Missions,  1878-1894 — 

Retrospect  of  One  Hundred  Years,  1794-1894  -  -      273-294 

CHAPTER  XIV 
Union  and  Disunion  ...-.--         295-316 

CHAPTER  XV 
Educational  Advance  Since  1894    -----  317-333 

CHAPTER  XVI 
Conventions  and  General  Enterprises  Since  1894         -  -      334-36<i 

Appendix  ...------  367-391 

Index -         -     393-407 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 


Portrait  of  the  Author          .          .          -          .  .          Frontispiece 

Site  of  Old  Lebanon  Church,  in  Virginia          -  opposite  page     72 

Present  Lebanon  Church  Building      -          -         -  opposite  page     72 
The  L.   K    Quimby  Premises,   Lyndon,  Vt.,   Site  of  Dr.   Abner 

Jones'  Home  and  School             ...  opposite  page  152 

Cane  Ridge  Meeting-House,  in  Kentucky         -  opposite  page  224 
Cane  Ridge  Meeting-House,  as  it  Appears  To-day    -    opposite  page  304 


DEDICATED    TO 

MY    BRETHREN    OF    THE    CHRISTIAN 
DENOMINATION 

AMONG      WHOM      I      HAVE      FOUND      DELIGHTFUL 
FELLOWSHIP. 


FOREWORD 

WRITING  this  history  was  not  a  self-imposed  task.  In 
January,  1908,  at  its  annual  meeting,  the  Executive 
Board  of  the  American  Christian  Convention  by  vote 
requested  the  author  to  prepare  a  history  of  the  Christian 
denomination.  From  the  undertaking  he  shrank  at  firs',  but 
on  second  thought  accepted  the  task  and  at  once  began  to 
collect  material.  Rev.  E.  A.  DeYore,  Rev.  D.  B.  Atkinson 
and  Prof.  J.  N.  Dales  were  named  at  that  time  as  a  consulting 
committee,  and  they  have  made  contribution  by  suggestion  and 
material  furnished.  More  than  four  years  have  been  consumed 
in  preparing  the  manuscript  for  this  work. 

When  the  Executive  Board  asked  the  author  to  write  this 
history,  it  was  understood  that  the  book  should  contain  a 
!5ketch  of  the  movement  which  resulted  in  the  organization  of 
the  denomination,  and  an  account  of  its  subsequent  develop- 
ment to  the  present  time.  Such  an  outline  necessarily 
excludes  the  detailed  treatment  of  periods  and  insti':utions, 
and  has  to  do  chiefly  with  the  ideas  underlying  the  movement 
and  denomination,  and  with  the  resultant  denominational 
institutions.  Effort  has  been  made  to  clearly  indicate  the 
growth  and  enlargement  from  period  to  period.  At  the  same 
time  the  great  need  of  a  work  embodying  exact  data  about  the 
denomination  has  led  to  incorporation  of  much  matte^  that 
might  otherwise  have  been  omitted,  making  this  a  convenient 
work  for  handy  reference.  In  fact  it  approaches  the  nature 
of  a  compendium.  Copious  footnotes,  a  list  of  the  main 
sources  of  matter  used,  following  each  chaptci-,  an  appendix 
containing  much  valuable  matter  hardly  suitable  for  the  main 
text,  and  a  thorough  index,  have  fitted  this  book,  it  is  hoped, 
not  only  for  ordinary  reading,  but  for  a  school  text-book,  and 


for  use  in  conference  study  courses,  teacher-training^  and 
study  classes  of  various  sorts. 

It  is  not  good  for  institutions  to  be  like  Melchizedec, 
without  generation  or  genealogy.  The  Christians  need  a 
history  of  themselves  to  give  them  self-respect  and  knowledge 
of  their  career.  Much  history  is  being  lost  every  year  A 
reading  public  deserves  information  about  a  people  who  need 
not  blush  for  their  past  or  present.  The  plain  truth  demands 
a  work  like  this  and  better  than  this.  Thousands  of  people 
in  our  land  never  heard  of  the  Christians,  and  hundreds  are 
confusing  the  Christians  with  the  Disciples  of  Christ ;  indeed, 
in  some  parts  of  the  country  the  Disciples  themselves  can 
hardly  make  the  distinction,  and  do  not  know  exactly  why  they 
are  calling  themselves  the  ''(Christian  Church."  Their  writers 
are  claiming  Stone  and  Purviance  and  O'Kelly  and  Haggard  as 
founders  of  their  sect.  In  the  United  States  census,  prior  to 
1890,  the  people  who  never  have  acknowledged  any  general 
appellation  except  "Christian  Church"  or  (in  the  North) 
"Christian  Connection,"  were  counted  in  with  the  Disciples  of 
Christ.  This  volume  should  aid  in  dispelling  all  confusion, 
informing  the  Christians  about  themselves,  informing  the 
Disciples  that  the  Christian  denomination  was  organized  a 
quarter  of  a  century  before  the  Disciples  were/  and,  finally, 
giving  the  public  knowledge  of  a  denomination  that  early 
played  a  remarkable  part  in  the  religious  history  of  America. 

Several  times,  from  the  twenties  onward,  certain  men  have 
been  chosen  to  prepare  a  history  of  the  Christians;  and  in 
every  case  they  have  failed  to  complete  their  tasks,  although 
large  amounts  of  material  were  gathered.  No  history  has 
thus  far  been  published.  J.  R.  Freese,  M.  D.,  Rev,  Nicholas 
Summerbell  and  Rev.  J.  P.  Barrett  have  each  compiled 
considerable  amounts  of  data,  and  the  compilations  have  been 
published.  In  the  main,  therefore,  the  author  of  this  work 
has  found  it  not  only  advisable  but  necessary  to  resort  to 
original  sources  so  far  as  possible,  and  to  verify  his  data  by 
all  means  at  hand.      Often  this  has  been  vexing  and  difficult, 

*  No  ill  will  or  resentment  is  implied  in  this  explanation. 


as  sources  and  authorities  do  not  agree  among  themselves. 
Two  accounts  of  the  same  thing  by  the  same  writer,  but 
written  at  different  times,  contain  discrepancies  irreconcilable. 
It  is  therefore  probable  that  numerous  mistakes  will  be  dis- 
covered in  this  book,  and  the  author  will  be  glad  to  have  his 
attention  called  to  them,  that  they  may  be  eliminated  should 
editions  of  this  history  be  issued  in  the  future.  Often  in  the 
pages  following  literary  style  and  many  an  interesting  event 
and  anecdote  have  been  sacrificed  to  condensation;  and  any 
lack  of  coherence  should  be  largely  attributed  to  the  frag- 
mentary manner  in  which  the  book  has  been  w^ritten,  for  the 
composition  has  been  done  almost  entirely  during  spare 
moments,  holidays,  and  hours  when  the  author  was  free  from 
his  regular  duties.  He  hopes  that  it  may  be  found  moderately 
well  done,  for  it  may  prove  the  largest  service  which  he  can 
render  to  the  brotherhood. 

The  author  heartily  acknowledges  his  indebtedness  f^o  the 
many  persons  who  furnished  copies  of  records  and  other  noRdful 
material,  for  the  loan  of  helpful  books,  and  for  timely  assist- 
ance in  other  ways.  lie  is  especially  indebted  to  his  wife, 
Alice  V.  Morrill,  for  assisting  in  gathering  material  for  this 
volume,  and  for  verifying  the  references ;  and  to  Kev.  A.  H. 
Morrill,  Rev.  O.  W.  I'owers,  Rev.  J.  F.  Burnett,  Rev.  J.  G. 
Bishop  and  Rev.  E.  A.  Watkins,  for  reading  manuscript  and 
proof  sheets,  making  corrections  and  giving  valuable  sug- 
gestions. For  the  selection  of  matter  contained  in  this  work, 
for  the  form  in  which  the  matter  has  been  cast,  for  interpreta- 
tion of  facts  and  events,  and  for  sentiments  and  opinions 
expressed,  except  such  as  have  been  obtained  or  quoted  from 
other  sources,  the  author  assumes  full  responsibility. 

M.  T.  M. 

Dayton,  Ohio. 


ABBREVIATIONS 

Full  titles  and  descriptions  of  books  will  be  found  in  lists  of  sources 
at  the  end  of  each  chapter. 

A.  C.  C.=American  Christian  Convention. 
Adams=History  of  the  United  States. 
Ap.=Appendix. 
Autob.=Autobiography. 
Badger=:Menioir  of  Rev.  Joseph  Badger. 
Bassett=Anierican  Nation :  The  Federalist  System. 
Bib.  Doc.=:The  Bible  Doctrine. 
Biog.=Biography. 

Cent.  Book=Centenuial  of  Religious  Journalism. 
Chris.  Alm.i^ChrLstian  Almanac. 
Chris.  An.=Christian  Annual. 
Chris.  Her.^Christian  Herald. 
Chris.  Mlss.=Christian  Missionary. 
Chris.  Pall.=Christian  Palladium. 
Chris.  Reg.=Chri^tian  Register  and  Almanac. 
Chris.  Sun=Christian  Sun. 

Davidson=History  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Kentucky. 
Elson=:IIistory  of  the  United  States. 
Fernald=Life  of  Elder  Mark  Fernald. 
Freese=History  and  Advocacy  of  the  Christian  Church. 
Gates=The  Disciples  of  Christ. 

Gardner=The  Autobiography  of  Elder  Matthew  Gardner. 
Gos.  Her.=Gospel  Herald. 
Gos.  Lum.=:Gospel  Luminary. 
H.  G.  L.=Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty. 
Ibid.=Ditto.  or  the  same  place. 
jones=Menioir  of  Abner  Jones. 
Kernodle=Lives  of  Christian  Ministers. 
Kinkade^The  Bible  Doctrine. 
MacCleuny^Life  of  Rev.  James  O'Kelly, 
McMastei*=riistory  of  the  People  of  the  United  States. 
McNemar==The  Kentucky  Revival. 
McTyeire=History  of  Methodism. 
Mill.  Harb.=Millennial  Harbinger. 
P.^page ;  pp.=pages. 

Purviance=The  Biography  of  Elder  David  Purviance. 
RogersrrrThe  Cane  Ridge  Meeting  House. 
Shaw=:Memoir  of  Elder  Elijah  Shaw. 

Smith^The  Life.   Conversion.   Preaching,   Travels,    and   Sufferings 
of  Elias  Smith. 

Stone=Biography  of  Elder  Barton  Warren  Stone. 
Taylor=iMemoir  of  Elder  Benjamin  Taylor. 
Vol.=Volume. 


CHAPTER  I 


CHAPTER  I 

Champions  op  Liberty  in  Religion 

WHATEVER  their  source  and  inspiration,  all  cfreat 
movements  among  mankind  have  human  expression 
and  promotion.  If  men  act  on  the  presumption  of 
divine  inspiration,  yet  the  first  visible  evidence  of  the  afflatus 
lies  in  human  conduct.  Beginnings  of  achievements  are  con- 
nected with  men,  and  study  of  beginnings  kindles  the  desire 
for  acquaintance  with  men  who  achieved  this  or  that.  Where- 
fore our  thought  must  be  focused  first  upon  that  little  group  of 
leaders  in  a  movement  of  which  this  volume  is  the  history,  a 
movement  still  gathering  momentum  as  it  is  projected  into 
the  twentieth  century, 

JAMES   O^KELLY 

Like  some  other  great  men  O'Kelly  was  born  in  several 
places,  if  all  claims  were  true — in  Virginia,  in  North  Carolina 
and  in  old  Ireland,  probability  being  strongly  in  favor  of  the 
last.  The  family  was  an  old  one,  traceable  back  to  the  middle 
ages,  and  nobly  connected.  His  birth  must  have  been  about 
1735,  for  he  died  in  1826,  in  his  ninety-second  year.  As  a  boy 
he  probably  received  education  in  Ireland ;  as  a  youth  he  came 
to  America,  settling  first  in  Surry  County,  Va.,  later  moving 
to  Chatham  County,  North  Carolina.  Tradition  links  O'Kelly's 
name  with  that  of  Patrick  Henry  and  Thomas  Jefferson,  and 
he  was  in  every  way  fitted  for  their  companionship. 

Of  his  educational  advantages  nothing  definite  is  known. 

Of  his  marriage  to  Elizabeth  Meeks,  of  Virginia,  we  have  no 
details,  not  even  the  date,  although  1700  is  conjectured.^      They 

iMacClenny,  p.  17, 


16  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

had  two  sons,  John  and  William,  the  latter  born  in  1763. 
With  the  advent  of  Methodism  in  the  neighborhood,  Mrs. 
O'Kelly  and  the  boy  William  were  converted  and  joined  the 
Methodist  class.  This  was  about  1774,  and  near  the  same 
time  James  O'Kelly,  the  father,  "experienced"  religioi)  after 
the  soul-racking  manner  of  that  day.  He  soon  joined  the 
''connection,"  and  became  a  licensed  traveling  preacher, 
devoted  and  effective.  His  conversion  was  thorough,  aiid  his 
reformation  radical.  No  definite  information  as  to  his  first 
traveling  is  obtainable,  except  that  he  began  in  1775,  Januar3% 
and  preached  in  southern  Virginia  in  1777.^  The  established 
church  did  not  like  traveling  IMethodist  exhorters,  and  O'Kelly's 
debut  was  resented ;  but  people  flocked  to  hear  him,  and  many 
were  converted.  He  became,  almost  at  a  bound,  one  of  the 
foremost  Methodist  preachers  in  America. 

Rev.  Robert  Williams  was  the  first  Methodist  preacher  in 
Virginia,  and  preached  his  first  sermon  from  the  old  court- 
house door  in  Norfolk.-  Rev.  Richard  Wright,  of  England, 
was  stationed  at  Norfolk  in  1773.  Methodist  societies  increased 
rapidly  in  numbers,  and  so  did  the  number  of  young  traveling 
preachers.  But  they  were  all  under  a  serious  disability;  for 
only  the  Episcopal  clergy  could  marry  people,  christen,  admin- 
ister the  communion  and  perform  burial  rites.  Often  their 
services  were  distasteful,  in  case  the  clergy  were  men  of  loose 
conduct  and  lax  character.  And  since  O'Kelly  and  the  early 
Methodist  preachers  had  no  clerical  authority,  they  too 
depended  on  the  clergy  of  the  established  church  for  the  ordi- 
nances. 

When  O'Kelly  joined  with  other  southern  preachers  in 
constituting  a  presbytery  to  administer  the  ordinances  and  give 
others  like  authority,  in  opposition  to  Mr.  Asbury's  wish,  he 
was  disciplined  with  the  rest  and  made  to  feel  episcopal  power. 
In  1784  he  was  appointed  over  a  district  and  ordained  an  older, 
in  spite  of  his  previous  refusal  to  bind  himself  (as  all  were 

1  MacClenuy,  p.  21.  =  Ibid.  p.  26. 


JAMES  O'KELLY  17 

asked  to  do  by  Mr.  Asbury),  to  adhere  to  John  Wesley's  "old 
plan." 

As  the  closing  scenes  of  the  Revolution  transpired  on 
southern  soil,  some  traveling  preachers'  vocation  proved  peril- 
ous; and  O'Kelly,  although  itinerating  in  North  Carolina,  once 
fell  into  the  hands  of  Tories  and  once  into  British  hands. 
Refusing  to  swear  allegiance  to  the  king,  he  was  placed  on 
scanty  rations  and  suffered  severely  mitil  he  escaped  from  his 
captors.  Then  he  enlisted  as  a  soldier,  served  through  two 
campaigns,  and  once  sent  a  substitute  when  drafted.  Eaving 
spent  the  year  1781  serving  his  country  in  the  army,  he  served 
it  the  next  year  riding  a  circuit,  with  an  assistant,  in  Mecklen- 
burg County,  Virginia. 

Great  revivals  marked  the  year  1788  in  Virginia,  especially 
in  O'Kelly's  district  in  southern  Virginia.  He  was  busily 
employed.  And  all  through  these  years  he  was  prominent  in 
conference  and  the  general  councils  of  the  rapidly  growing  new^ 
denomination.  Bishop  Asbury  prevailed  upon  the  conferences 
to  establish  for  him  a  council  of  presiding  elders.  After  the 
first  session  O'Kelly  persuaded  his  district  to  reject  the  insti- 
tution, foreseeing  that  the  Council  might  become  a  bishop's 
tool;  and  Mr.  Asbury  and  his  democratic  elder  fell  out,  the 
bishop  being  told  to  his  face  that  the  councilors  were  mere 
tools,  and  that  O'Kelly  disliked  to  be  anybody's  tool.^  As  a 
liberty-loving  patriot  he  could  not  brook  autocracy.  In  1790 
the  bishop  sliced  off  a  chunk  of  the  elder's  district,  putting 
over  it  a  new  elder. 

In  1792  the  great  struggle  between  the  lovers  of  liberal 
church  government  and  the  adherents  of  the  Asburyan  plan 
occurred  in  the  general  conference  convened  that  year.  James 
O'Kelly  was  aggressive  in  opposing  episcopacy,  and  his  famous 
resolution  for  the  "right  of  appeal"  was  lost.  He  then  with- 
drew from  conference  with  several  companions ;  and  hencefor- 
ward his  ministerial  career  was  outside  the  Methodist  Epis 

^  MacClenny,  p.  65. 


18  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

copal  Church.  Conciliatory  measures  were  propos^^d  by 
Bishop  Asbury,  Dr.  Coke  and  others,  on  the  one  hand,  and  by 
the  O'Kelly  party  on  the  other.  But  the  Bishop's  unyielding 
attitude  made  all  overtures  nugatory. 

The  "Republican  Methodist  Church"  was  organized  by  the 
O'Kelly  party,  in  a  manner  hereafter  to  be  detailed,  gnd  the 
man  who  had  all  along  advocated  and  struggled  for  democratic 
church  government  was  the  leading  spirit  in  the  new  ohurch. 
But  within  a  year  the  Republican  Methodists  dissolved  their 
organization,  and  reorganized  on  broader  principles  the 
"Christian  Church."  James  O'Kelly  continued  to  travel  and 
preach  as  of  old,  but  under  the  new  banner,  meantime  con- 
ducting a  vigorous  propagandism  for  the  principles  of  the 
infant  "Christian  Church." 

Material  for  the  life  of  O'Kelly  during  his  remaining  days 
is  not  abundant ;  but  we  know  that  he  spent  thirty-three  years 
serving  the  new  denomination,  traveling  among  its  churches, 
attending  their  annual  gatherings,  ordaining  ministers,  and 
everywhere  proclaiming  religious  liberty  as  exemplified  by  the 
Christians.  About  1810  a  heated  contest  between  him  and 
Rev,  William  Guirey  arose  over  the  mode  of  baptism,  O'Kelly 
contending  valiantly  for  effusion,  and  Guirey  for  immersion 
The  result  was  a  split  in  the  denomination.  In  all  probability 
this  discussion  was  precipitated  by  Elias  Smith's  position  taken 
by  him  in  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liherti/.  All  through  the 
South  the  baptismal  question  created  stir  and  division. 
O'Kelly's  party  organized  the  "Old  North  Carolina  Confer- 
ence," Guirey's  party  the  "Virginia  Conference."^  Dis- 
sension and  decline  were  the  rule  until  after  James 
O'Kelly's  death.  But  eventually  both  parties  were  again 
united  in  1854. 

O'Kelly's  home  in  his  latter  days  was  in  Chatham  (bounty, 
North  Carolina,  where  he  had  some  property.  Not  far  from 
this  home  he  organized  his  first  Christian  Church,  then  and 

^  MacClenny,  p.  158. 


JAMES  O'KELLY  19 

now  known  as  O'Kell.v's  Chapel,  near  Chapel  Hill,  seat  of  the 
state  university.  From  this  home  he  ranged  the  country, 
going  as  far  north  as  Washington,  D.  C.  Tradition  makes  it 
probable  that  he  was  intimate  with  the  household  of  Thomas 
Jefferson  at  Monticello.  It  is  said  that  by  Jefferson's  arrange- 
ment the  minister  preached  in  the  hall  of  the  House  of  Repre- 
sentatives twice,  the  first  time  making  a  failure,  the  second 
time  retrieving  himself  much  to  Jefferson's  delight,  as  «-ell  as 
that  of  the  people.  It  is  even  held  that  this  friendship  was 
what  attached  the  stigma  of  "infidel"  to  Jefferson,  for  that  was 
one  of  the  denunciatory  names  applied  to  O'Kelly. 

Like  Elias  Smith,  this  man  O'Kelly  became  quite  a  writer 
and  author.  ''The  Author's  Apology  for  Protesting  Against 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Government''  seems  to  have  been  his 
first  publication,  dating  about  1798.  This  was  followed  ihree 
years  later  by  ''Vindication  of  an  Apology."  In  rapid  suc- 
cession came,  "Divine  Oracles  Consulted,"  "Christicola," 
"Church  Government,"  "The  Christian  Church,"  "Annotation 
on  His  Book  of  Discipline,"  dated  1809 ;  "Letters  from  Heaven 
Consulted,"  in  1822 ;  a  tract  on  baptism ;  commentaries  on  the 
books  of  the  New  Testament ;  a  tract  on  slavery,  opposing  that 
institution ;  "Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs  Designed  for  the  Use 
of  Christians,"  "The  Prospect  Before  Us  by  Ways  of  Address," 
the  last  issued  in  1824,  and  probably  his  last  publication. 

He  retained  his  faculties  until  the  last,  and  was  a  well- 
preserved  old  man.  He  could  preach  vigorously,  and  that  for 
two  or  three  hours.^  In  April,  182G,  he  made  his  will,  knowing 
that  he  must  soon  quit  this  life,  although  he  lingered  until  the 
following  October,  dying  the  16th  day,  having  passed  his 
ninetj'-first  year.  His  burial  was  on  his  farm,  where  a  monu- 
ment stands  above  his  grave,  dedicated  to  the  "Southern  Cham- 
pion of  Christian  Freedom."  Of  the  man's  greatness  there 
can  be  no  doubt,  for  even  his  enemies  admitted  that;  his  char- 
acter no  one  has  been  able  successfully  to  impugn  ;  his  standing 

'  MacClenny,  p.  226. 


20  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

as  a  preacher  was  very  high;  as  an  intrepid  leader,  Hgitator 
and  reformer  his  place  is  secure.  But  on  the  other  hand  he 
was  a  man  of  dictatorial  spirit  and  unbending  will,  occasion- 
ally manifesting  some  impatience  when  crossed  in  his  purpose. 
He  could  not  organize,  and  for  that  reason  plaj^ed  a  losing 
game.  Had  he  been  a  man  of  tact  and  administrative  ability, 
his  work  would  have  been  many  fold  multiplied  in  results. 
When  we  sum  him  all  up,  we  must  give  him  a  sure  place  among 
advocates  of  truth  and  the  sacredness  of  human  conscience. 
Very  little  has  been  preserved  for  us  about  his  family  life  and 
descendants;  but  there  are  several  persons  who  trace  their 
ancestry  back  to  James  O'Kelly,  and  preserve  sacredly  the 
family  traditions. 

RICE  HAGGARD 

Careful  students  of  the  history  of  the  Christian  denomina- 
tion will  inevitably  regret  that  no  material  exists,  so  fr.r  as 
is  known,  for  an  adequate  life  of  Rice  Haggard,  one  of  the  men 
who  withdrew  from  the  famous  Christmas  Conference  at 
Baltimore,  Maryland,  1792,  with  Rev.  James  O'Kelly  and 
others.  What  little  we  can  learn  of  him  leaves  with  us  the 
impression  that  he  was  a  man  worth  knowing.  The  date  of 
his  birth  is  placed  at  1769^,  but  the  place  is  not  named.  His 
early  life  was  probably  largely  passed  in  Norfolk  County, 
Virginia.  Of  his  parentage  we  can  say  nothing  except  that 
father  and  mother  were  very  poor.  He  was  brought  up  to 
farm  life,  and  received  no  education.  The  common  tradition 
about  his  early  days  is  put  into  verse  by  Joseph  Thomas,  "The 
White  Pilgrim,"  as  follows : 

"In  thy  youth  thy  God  commanded  thee  away 
From  fond  pursuits  and  objects  of  the  day — 
To  leave  the  plough  and  all  thy  fi'iends  around 
To  seek  a  Saviour,  and  the  gospel  sound. 
Thy  parents,  poor,  had  never  taught  thee  then 

'  Cent.  Book.  p.  269, 


RICE    HAGGARD  21 

To  read  the  Bible,  uor  to  use  the  peu ; 

But  iu  tbe  smooth  saud  thou  didst  learn  to  write, 

And  taught  thyself  to  read  by  fagot  light !" 

This  seems  to  mean  that  at  his  conversion  he  was  utterly 
illiterate.  His  later  acquirements  must  have  been  consider- 
able, and  that  his  mind  was  well  developed  and  logical  in  acu- 
men we  are  assured  from  later  events  and  what  he  said. 

When  about  twenty  years  old  Haggard  began  the  life  of 
a  traveling  preacher  in  the  Methodist  connection,  being  admit- 
ted to  full  membership  in  1790/  and  given  a  circuit  in  Bedford 
County,  Virginia.  Although  stationed  in  Virginia  for  two 
years,  he  seems  to  have  visited  Kentucky  -  and  made  acquaint- 
ance with  that  new  country,  which  later  led  him  to  settle  tiiere. 
and  consequences  of  much  importance  gTew  out  of  his  residence 
in  Kentucky.  As  above  stated,  Rice  Haggard  withdrew  from 
the  Methodist  General  Conference  in  1792,  when  the  vote 
passed  refusing  the  right  of  appeal;  and  he  was  a  member  of 
the  Republican  Methodist  Church  organized  by  men  who 
withdrew  from  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  When  a 
year  later  there  was  diflSculty  in  formulating  a  constitution 
and  selecting  a  name  for  the  new  church,  Haggard  was  ready 
with  the  suggestion  that  henceforth  the  followers  of  Christ  call 
themselves  "Christians,"  to  the  exclusion  of  all  party  names. 

Not  far  from  this  time  he  was  married  to  Nancy  Wiles, 
widow  of  William  Wiles,  She  was  daughter  of  a  Revolution- 
ary War  captain,  named  William  Grimes,  and  fell  heir  to  four 
thousand  acres  of  land  given  as  a  military  bounty  to  her  father 
From  the  formation  of  the  Christian  Church  in  1794,  Rice  Hag- 
gard labored  constantly  in  its  ministry,  traveling  with  other 
ministers  until  his  removal  to  Kentucky,  and  became  well  and 
favorably  known  in  adjacent  parts  of  Virginia  and  North  Caro- 
lina, especially  in  mountainous  districts.  In  1801  he  is  said 
to  have  traveled  what  was  known  as  the  "Mountain  Circuit," 
in  Virginia. 

'  Kernodle,  p.  34.  =  Cent.  Book,  p.  269. 


22  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Several  booklets  concerning  church  government  and  doc- 
trine are  ascribed  to  Haggard,  the  most  noteworthy  being  that 
entitled,  "Union  of  all  the  followers  of  Christ  in  one  Church," 
in  which  the  positions  taken  by  the  Christian  Church  were 
expounded  and  defended,  including  the  determination  lo  be 
known  simply  as  "Christians."  David  Haggard,  brother  of 
Rice,  went  to  Kentucky  not  much  later,  and  perhaps  about  the 
time  the  Christian  Church  in  that  state  was  formed,  and  Rice 
seems  to  have  journeyed  thither  with  him  and  to  have  acquired 
land  near  Burksville,  Kentucky,  on  what  became  known  as 
Haggard's  Branch.  It  is  unlikely,  however,  that  he  moved 
his  family  there  so  early.  It  is  recorded  also  that  Haggard 
was  present,  Juue,  1804,  at  the  meeting  of  the  famous  "Spring- 
field Presbytery,"  which  was  organized  as  a  result  of  the 
separation  of  Barton  W.  Stone  and  others  from  the  Presby- 
terian Church  in  that  state.  To  this  man  is  credited  the  sug- 
gestion made  to  Stone  that  disciples  of  Christ  should  be  called 
simply  "Christians;"  and  as  the  Presbytery  published  Hag- 
gard's tract  on  the  name  "Christian,"  it  is  logical  to  couclude 
that  the  dissolution  of  that  Presbytery,  the  organization  of 
churches  on  the  ground  occupied  by  the  Christians  in  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina,  and  adoption  of  the  name  "Christian 
Church"  are  attributable  to  Rice  Haggard.^ 

After  this  he  again  resided  in  Norfolk  County,  and  was 
visited  there  in  1807  and  1809.  Children  were  born  to  him, 
the  oldest  being  named  significantly  James  O'Kelly  Haggard. 
That  he  continued  preaching  is  evident  from  the  meager  men- 
tion made  of  him  by  preachers  who  visited  him.  In  1810  he 
seems  to  have  planned  another  trip  to  Kentucky;  but  wiiether 
he  went  there  is  not  stated.^  Two  years  later  he  removed  with 
his  family  to  Cumberland  County,  Kentucky,  and  resided  a  few 
years.  Then  he  sold  out  and  moved  to  the  forks  of  Kettle 
Creek.  His  Virginia  home  was  sold  in  1816.  All  these  years 
Haggard  traveled  and  preached,  going  into  Alabama,  western 

1  Cent.    Book,   p.    270.        See  Stone,    p.    50.        Davidson,   p.    198.  *  Ker- 

nodle,  p.  36. 


ABNER   JONES  23 

Kentucky,  and  as  far  north  as  to  Champaign  County,  Ohio. 
Fatal  illness  overtook  liini  during  a  trip  to  the  last  named 
locality  in  1819,  and  it  was  there  that  his  will  was  made  upon 
his  death-bed.      Burial  is  said  to  have  been  in  Xenia,  OLio. 

This  fragmentary  outline  is  what  we  know  and  may 
reasonably  infer  about  a  man  who  started  in  most  unpromising 
surroundings,  with  serious  handicap,  who  was  what  we  call 
to-day  a  "self-made  man,"  and  whose  influence  is  still  felt  by 
many  thousands  of  people.  J.  B.  Green  ^  infers  that  in  his 
later  years  Haggard  discounted  local  and  general  church  organ- 
ization, led  to  that  inference  by  what  he  had  discovered  in 
many  congregations  where  probably  Haggard's  voice  had  often 
been  heard.  But  organization  was  incipient  in  Virginia  and 
New  England,  until  about  1814,  which  is  the  date  of  the  earliest 
conference  organization  definitely  recorded  in  Virginia  and 
North  Carolina.  But  a  conference  organization  is  mentioned 
in  Kentucky  as  early  as  1804.^  Haggard  w'as  a  man  of  great 
persuasive  powers,  keen  and  logical  mind,  ability  botli  as 
preacher  and  author,  ready  with  practical  suggestions  when 
methods  were  needed.  His  voice  is  spoken  of  by  the  poet  as 
"sonorous,"  "like  silver  trumpet's  sound."  He  had  the  faculty 
for  organization  and  handling  of  business. 

Although  Campbellism  appeared  in  Kentucky  after  his 
death,  yet  his  influence  was  probably  one  of  the  factois  that 
saved  the  remnant  when  nearly  the  whole  body  of  Christians 
in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  was  swept  into  the  Discii)les  of 
Christ  church. 

ABNER  JONES 

Back  on  the  eastern  slope  of  a  lofty  hill,  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  town  of  Bridgewater,  Vermont,  are  remains  show- 
ing where  once  stood  a  humble  home.  From  that  spot,  with 
almost  unobsti'ucted  view,  one's  gaze  may  wander  over  and 
beyond  hill  after  hill,  partly  cleared  and  partly  wooded,  in 

1  Cent.  Book,  p.  270.  -  See  H.  G.  L.,  Oct.  6,  1910. 


24  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

summer  verdant  and  beautiful,  wander  beyond  the  Connecticut 
River,  and  to  the  mountain  ridges  of  New  Hampshire,  hazy, 
blue  and  dim/  At  this  spot  where  we  stand,  and  over  the 
excavation  now  partly  filled  with  stones,  was  erected  a  rude  log 
cabin,  nearly  one  hundred  and  thirty  years  ago,  the  first  set- 
tler's rude  abode  in  the  town  of  Bridgewater  to  break  the  soli- 
tude of  that  forest  wilderness. 

Here,  in  1780,  a  family  named  Jones,  from  Royalton,  Mass., 
about  eighty  miles  from  Boston,  settled  and  resided.  The 
elder  Jones  was  born  in  Sutton,  Mass.,  was  brought  up  to 
farming,  and  with  his  wife,  who  was  Dorcas  Wade,  daughter  of 
Nathan  Wade,  of  Gloucester,  R.  I.,  established  a  home  on  a 
little  farm  in  Charlton,  Mass.,  later  removing  to  Royalton. 
Five  children  came  into  the  Jones  home,  two  daughters  and 
three  sons,  Abner,  the  youngest,  being  the  one  who  especially 
interests  us.  Mr.  Jones  and  his  good  wife  were  Baptists  of 
the  Calvinist  type,  stern  and  rigid,  and  their  children  were 
instructed  in  that  faith. 

Abner  Jones,  the  fifth  child,  was  born  in  Royalton,  April 
28,  1772,  and  was  eight  years  old  when  the  family  emigrated  to 
Vermont ;  and  in  that  cabin  home,  and  among  the  wooded  hills 
of  that  and  neighboring  towns  he  grew  to  manhood,  a  sturdy 
muscular  boy.  It  is  not  easy  to  imagine  how  rude  and  desti- 
tute that  first  wilderness  home  of  the  Joneses  was,  how  difficult 
it  was  to  reach  it  through  the  March  snows  of  1780,  and  how 
great  were  the  privations  undergone  by  the  family.  Describ- 
ing it  later  Mr.  Jones  said:  ''Our  house  was  erected  without 
either  plank,  joist,  boards,  shingles,  stone,  brick,  nails  or  glass; 
but  was  built  wholly  of  logs,  bark,  boughs  and  wooden  pegs 
in  the  room  of  nails.  The  snow  was  then  about  four  feet  deep, 
and  the  weather  extremely  cold."  ^  The  little  furniture  for  the 
shelter  (it  was  only  that)  was  dragged  over  the  snow  by  men 
on  snowshoes.       The  shelter  was  kept  warm  day  and  night 

1  Cent.  Book,  p.  288.  ^  Memoir,  p.  11. 


ABNER    JONES  25 

by  a  big  fire  of  logs  before  one  end  of  the  bouse,  whicli  was 
mostly  open. 

From  earliest  boyhood  Abner  had  religious  impressions, 
and  in  his  ninth  year  had  the  soul-racking  experience  of  those 
days.  He  was  accustomed  to  resort  to  secret  prayer.  The 
accidental  shooting  of  a  man  who  was  hunting  deer  ^  was  fol- 
lowed by  a  general  revival  of  religion  that  reached  to  almost 
every  person  in  the  sparse  settlement.  Death,  judgment,  eter- 
nity, election — such  were  common  themes  with  preachers  then. 
Under  the  preaching  of  a  Baptist  exhorter  named  Snow  young 
Jones  was  converted.  His  change  he  confided  to  his  mother 
and  a  ''pious  neighbor." 

Prom  the  thought  of  baptism  he  shrank.  When  fourteen 
years  old  he  says  that  he  lost  hope  and  fell  into  great  distress 
of  mind,  partly  due  to  the  influence  of  a  reckless,  irreligious, 
skeptical,  elder  brother,  whom  he  loved  as  Jonathan  loved 
David,  And  so  he  continued  until  his  twentieth  year,  living 
in  torment  of  mind  all  the  time.  Lurid  hell  seemed  to  gape 
before  him.-  To  escape  himself  he  plunged  into  social  excesses 
that  pleased  a  rude  society.  He  even  struck  out  to  make  his 
fortune,  indulging  in  such  speculation  and  business  as  promised 
alluring  returns,  only  to  have  every  project  wither  as  if  to  ached 
by  a  witch's  wand.  "Dispirited,  broken  down  in  health  and 
with  pockets  utterly  empty,  with  a  soul  as  famishing  as 
Pharaoh's  lean  kine,"  ^  he  went  back  home  to  meet  at  the  door  a 
step-father.  For  meantime  his  father  had  died  and  his  mother 
had  married  again.  Young  Abner  was  constrained  to  seek 
employment.  For  a  time  he  taught  school  in  Granville,  N.  Y. 
Something  of  his  home  training  can  be  judged  by  his  religious 
experience  and  the  further  fact  that,  although  he  had  had  but 
six  weeks'  schooling  in  his  life,  he  was  now  become  a  school- 
master, and  a  creditable  one.  Later  he  taught  near  his  Bridge- 
water  home,  and  was  again  converted,  being  baptized  in  June, 
1793.  by  Elder  Elisha   Ransom,  a  Baptist  minister.       Then 

'  Memoir,  p.  12.  *  Ibid.,  p.  19.  »  Ibid.,  p.  21. 


26  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

began  new  torments :  something  fastened  upon  him  thoughts  of 
the  gospel  ministry. 

Sixteen  months  of  school  teaching  in  Hartland,  Vermont, 
gave  him  leisure  for  study  and  agreeable  companionship. 
He  grew  into  the  habit  of  exhorting  in  religious  meetings 
resorted  to  by  himself  and  some  kindred  spirits.  Abner  Jones 
now  confronted  the  question  of  icJiat  to  preach,  if  he  should 
become  a  preacher,  and  began  a  most  searching  study  of  the 
Bible.  He  finally  avowed  his  dissent  from  Calvinist  Baptist 
views,^  and  experienced  the  brethren's  cold  shoulder.  So  he 
continued  to  study,  and  ere  long  came  to  the  position  which 
his  later  life  was  given  to  defend.  Strangely  enough  the 
thought  of  preaching  the  gospel  was  ascribed  to  devilish  tempta- 
tion.^ A  different  vocation  had  captivated  the  young  man's 
mind,  and  he  had  determined  upon  being  a  physician.^ 

Jones  therefore  devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  medicine, 
spending  some  time  at  a  medical  school  in  Hanover,  N.  H.,  but 
did  not  take  a  regular  course.  All  the  time  he  studied  the 
Bible  harder  than  medical  works.  However,  he  became  a  reg- 
ular practitioner,  and  in  1797  or  1798  began  professional  life 
in  Lyndon,  Vermont,  marrying  Miss  Damaris  Prior  and  settling 
there.  His  services  were  much  in  demand,  but  the  mental 
struggle  still  continued. 

With  the  outbreak  of  a  revival  in  an  adjoining  town, 
thought  of  the  gospel  ministry  returned.  He  attended  the 
revival  meetings,  by  providential  leadings  was  soon  induced  to 
preach  in  nearby  neighborhoods  with  blessed  results,  and 
finally  concluded  to  abandon  the  medical  practice,  much  to  the 
dissatisfaction  of  Mrs.  Jones  and  many  of  his  friends.  His 
first  sermon  was  preached  in  September,  1801,  to  an  audience 
in  a  farm  house  where  not  a  person  present  was  a  professing 
Christian,  and  used  for  a  text,  "But  they  made  light  of  it."  * 
Following  this  calls  for  service  came  from  many  directions. 

1  Memoir,  p.  27  ff.  *  Ibid.,  p.  22,  »  Autob.,  p.  68.  *  Matt.  22  :  5. 


ABNER  JONES  27 

Heart,  soul  and  body  he  now  threw  into  the  ministry,  while 
worldly  prospects  vanished. 

Before  reaching  his  majority  Jones  had  quit  the  fellowship 
of  Calvinist  Baptists,  and  had  heard  Elder  Elias  Bmith  preach 
at  New  Salisbury,  N.  H.  His  conclusions  now  were  crystal- 
lized into  a  church  in  Lyndon,  organized  in  the  fall  of  1801,  the 
"first  free  (christian  church"  in  New  England.^  The  members 
called  themselves  simply  "Christians,"  without  the  adjective 
**the."  Jones  removed  to  the  town  of  Lebanon,  that  part  later 
called  West  Lebanon,  N.  H.,  and  continued  to  travel  and  preach. 
In  the  autumn  of  1802  he  organized  churches  at  Hanover  (then 
and  now  the  seat  of  Dartmouth  College)  and  Piermont,  N.  H.^ 
Both  churches  have  long  since  disappeared.  In  November, 
1802,  three  Free  Will  Baptist  preachers  ordained  him,^  it 
having  been  clearly  understood  that  he  would  not  be  a  Free 
Will  Baptist,  but  only  a  Christian.  From  this  time  f^rth  his 
gospel  labors  were  almost  incessant  in  traveling  and  preaching. 
Single  services  lasted  six  to  nine  hours.  He  journeyed  to 
Portsmouth  and  worked  with  Elder  Elias  Smith  in  much 
harmony,  and  induced  Smith  finally  to  abandon  the  name 
Baptist,  and  assisted  him  to  organize  a  "Christian  Church"  in 
that  city.  He  preached  in  the  churches  of  the  famous  Drs. 
Stillman  and  Baldwin  in  Boston.  Jones  moved  to  Boston  in 
1804,  and  on  July  1  organized  another  "Christian  Church." 
Great  tribulation  visited  him  there  on  account  of  his  hetero- 
doxy. The  rabble  disturbed  services.*  Successive  removals 
followed  to  Bradford,  now  part  of  Haverhill,  and  to  Salem, 
Mass.  His  earlier  services  in  Salem  were  held  in  a  hall  at  the 
corner  of  Essex  and  English  Streets.  A  reformation  began 
which  extended  to  other  societies,  until  hundreds  of  acc?ssions 
had  been  received  into  Salem  churches.  Jones  kept  private 
school  to  support  his  family,  and  served  the  Salem  people  sev- 
eral years. 

1  Memoir,  p.  49.  '  Ibid.,  p.  62.  '  Ibid.,  p.  51.  *  Ibid.,  p.  66. 


28  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

With  Elders  Ellas  Smith  and  John  Boody,  Abner  Jones 
ordained,  in  Boston,  November,  180G,  John  Rand,  a  young  man 
who  had  left  Dr.  Stillman's  church  for  conscience's  sake/  and 
who  was  the  first  elder  ordained  by  the  Christians  in  New 
England, 

In  1811  his  journeys  took  him  to  southern  Massachusetts 
where  he  assisted  in  ordaining  Benjamin  Taylor,  who  became 
a  well-known  minister,  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  Assonet 
church,  which  had  left  the  Baptists  and  joined  the  Christians, 
(as  did  the  Baptist  church  at  Dartmouth,  under  leadership 
of  Rev.  Daniel  Hix,)  and  formed  lasting  friendship  with  Hix 
himself.^  Leaving  Salem,  Jones  became  pastor  of  the  cnurch 
at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  about  the  beginning  of  the  war  of  1812, 
although  his  family  was  not  moved  until  the  next  year.  Ports- 
mouth was  blockaded,  kept  in  terror  or  alarm  much  of  .h.j  time, 
its  inhabitants  being  often  distressed,  the  general  conditions 
aggravated  by  the  presence  of  several  regiments  of  troopcs,  and 
incendiary  burning  of  nearly  three  hundred  dwellings  one 
bitterly  cold  December  night.  Jones  himself  was  sometimes 
penniless  and  his  larder  empty ;  but  that  was  no  uncommon 
plight  in  Portsmouth  then. 

Owing  to  the  town's  beleaguered  condition,  and  wishing 
to  travel  among  the  churches,  Jones  moved  his  family  to 
Stratham,  ten  miles  distant,  where  they  resided  for  a  year.  In 
1815  his  labors  began  in  Hopkinton,  N.  H.,  a  year  rendered 
memorable  by  the  prevalence  of  "spotted  fever"  and  a  cold 
season  which  finally  culminated  in  the  famous  cold  year  of 
181G.  The  fever  was  attributed  to  the  cold  years  and  scanty 
crops.  So  terrible  were  the  ravages  of  the  disease  in  Deer- 
field,  N.  H.,  that  appeals  were  made  to  Abner  Jones  to  go  to 
assist  the  local  physician.  After  repeated  refusals,  he  finally 
went  and  remained  until  the  pestilence  subsided.  Hardly  had 
he  returned  to  Hopkinton  before  fever  broke  out  there,  and 

1  Memoir,  p.  70,  71.  '  Ibid.,  p.  82. 


ABNER  JONES  29 

again  he  was  full  of  business.      As  long  as  he  lived  there  his 
medical  practice  continued. 

It  was  at  Hopkinton  also  that  Jones  banished  intoxicating 
beverages  from  his  home  and  adopted  the  principle  of  total 
abstinence,  much  to  the  disgust  and  scandal  of  his  townsmen, 
not  to  mention  the  chagrin  of  Mrs.  Jones. ^  He  was  personallj' 
abused  in  severe  fashion,  stigmatized  a  fanatic  in  temperance 
and  religion,  and  quack  in  medicine,  although  he  was  member 
of  the  New  Hampshire  ^ledical  Society,  and  in  regular  stand- 
ing. Then,  too,  Jones  became  a  Free  Mason,  and  some  of  his 
ardent  admirers  broke  with  him.  Hence  about  1821  he  removed 
to  Salem  and  a  second  time  ministered  to  that  church  A 
drooping  cause  was  here  revived,  the  membership  enlarged, 
and  a  building  erected  on  Herbert  Street,  which  Jones 
pronounced  the  most  commodious  church  building  he  had 
ever  seen. 

Death  first  invaded  his  home  here,  taking  his  youngest 
daughter  Mary,  fifteen  years  of  age.  In  1829,  getting  leave  of 
absence  from  his  church,  ^Iv.  and  Mrs.  Jones  traveled  leisurely 
to  Saratoga  and  Ballston,  N.  Y.,  then  to  Maysfield,  where  he  was 
seized  with  rheumatic  fever  and  brought  close  to  death's  door, 
suffering  also  a  relapse.  After  weeks  of  suffering  he  was  able 
to  journey  again,  and  the  Joneses  proceeded  south  into 
Dutchess  County.  Eventually  he  was  called  to  serve  the  church 
at  Milan,  in  that  county.  Proceeding  to  Salem,  he  resigned  that 
post,  parting  with  his  beloved  congregation  most  regretfully, 
and  settling  at  Milan  in  1830,  continuing  there  three  years. 
The  next  removal  was  to  Assonet,  Mass.,  but  intervening  and 
subsequent  time  was  largely  occupied  with  journeys  to  different 
states. 

Death  entered  the  family  again  and  took  away  Mrs.  Jones 
in  1836.  This  affliction  left  indelible  impression  upon  her 
husband  and  shadowed  the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  continued 
to  journey  and  to  preach,  visiting  former  parishes,  and  then 

1  Memoir,  pp.  108,  110. 


30  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

located  at  Upton,  Mass.,  with  a  very  small  and  destitute  con- 
gregation. 

In  August,  1839,  he  was  married  to  Mrs.  Nancy  Clark  of 
Nantucket,  removing  the  next  year  with  his  family  to  Exeter, 
N.  H.,  intending  to  make  this  place  his  permanent  home;  and 
there  he  invested  in  a  snug  little  cottage,  with  funds  accumu- 
lated by  his  medical  treatment  of  cancers.  Soon  his  health 
began  to  fail  and  steadily  declined  until  May,  1841,  when  he 
passed  away.  His  funeral  was  held  in  the  chapel  of  the  Chris- 
tian Society  attended  by  a  large  company  of  mourners,  friends, 
and  more  than  twenty  clergymen  of  different  denominations. 
By  Dr.  Jones's  request,  Rev.  Elijah  Shaw,  of  Lowell,  Mass.. 
preached  an  appropriate  funeral  discourse. 

Such  in  brief  was  the  career  of  Rev.  Abner  Jones,  M.  D.. 
a  man  of  most  excellent  character,  firm  and  determined,  of 
scholarly  bent,  familiar  with  history,  biography,  Latin,  Greek 
and  Hebrew,  all  of  which  he  mastered  under  his  own  tuition. 
He  was  a  temperance  reformer,  religious  reformer,  a  traveling 
evangelist  for  many  years,  an  unusually  perspicuous  speaker 
and  student  of  the  Bible,  an  organizer  of  churches,  an  estab- 
lisher  of  the  same,  and  a  successful  leader  in  the  denomination 
commonly  called  ^'Christian  Connection''  in  New  England. 
Moreover,  he  was  a  successful  physician,  and  member  of  the 
New  Hampshire  Medical  Society.^  In  him  dwelt  the  spark 
of  poetic  genius,  and  he  might  have  done  more  than  write  toler- 
able verse  had  he  been  at  liberty  to  cultivate  the  muse's 
acquaintance  and  indulge  his  flights  of  fancy.  A  number  of 
very  creditable  poetic  productions  are  printed  in  the  Memoir 
of  Dr.  Jones.^ 

His  portrait,  taken  in  middle  life,  is  that  of  a  man  of 
stocky  build,  vigorous  and  active.  His  face  and  head  were 
of  massive  mould,  the  face  clean  shaven  and  square;  the  hair 
retreated  well  back  from  the  forehead,  the  smallish  eyes  were 
of  piercing  keenness,  and  a  Roman  nose,  together  with  firmly 

»  Memoir,  p.  188.  ^  ji^i^^  p    190-207. 


ELIAS  SMITH  31 

pressed  lips,  denoted  a  character  at  once  discerning  and  firm. 
Other  men  have  been  more  brilliant,  and  his  brethren  in  the 
ministry  overshadowed  him  in  point  of  eloquence,  but  few  of 
them  wrought  more  faithfully  or  surely.  Doubtless  Abner 
Jones  was  more  worthy  of  esteem  than  the  simple  record  and 
memoir  of  his  life  indicate. 

ELIAS   SMITH 

Xear  the  mouth  of  the  Connecticut  Kiver  is  the  famous  old 
town  of  Lyme,  from  which  have  hailed  notable  men  and  women. 
To-day  it  is  beautiful  and  classic,  and  from  its  vantage  ground 
one  can  look  out  over  Long  Island  Sound.  One  hundred  and 
thirty  years  or  more  ago  the  town's  inhabitants  saw  British 
men-of-war  plowing  the  water  of  the  Sound.  But  what  a 
different  creature  is  a  steel  man-of-war  with  its  terrible  guns 
from  the  old  wooden  sailing  craft  with  its  muzzle-loading 
cannon ! 

Back  in  old  Lyme  was  the  birthplace  of  a  baby  boy  who, 
as  a  man,  stirred  all  religious  New  England  (and  it  was  nearly 
all  religious !).  In  the  frame  farm  house  of  Stephen  and  Irene 
(Ransom)  Smith,  was  born,  on  the  17th  of  June,  1769,  a  baby 
christened  Elias  in  memory  of  an  uncle  killed  in  the  French 
and  Indian  War.  The  father's  stock  was  English  and  the 
mother's  Welsh.  She  was  a  second  wife  and  but  nineteen 
years  old  when  her  son  was  born.  Two  more  sons  and  two 
daughters  completed  the  family.  The  Smiths  never  were  in 
easy  circumstances  until  their  children  were  grown  up,  and  the 
utmost  frugality  was  necessary  in  the  household. 

Stephen  Smith  was  a  Baptist.  New  England  Puritanism 
reigned  in  the  eighteenth  century,  and  still  exacted  its  rigors, 
and  while  the  Baptists  adhered  to  Calvinism  in  doctrine,  Cal- 
vinism was  considered  milder  than  Puritan  Congregationalism. 
Mrs.  Smith  was  first  of  the  latter  faith.  But  both  parents  died 
as  members  of  the  denomination  whose  history  we  are  to  trace, 


32  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

and  in  the  forming  of  which  their  son  was  to  bear  a  unique 
part/ 

The  boy's  schooling  began  in  his  fourth  year.  A  retentive 
memory  compensated  somewhat  for  slow  perception.  Three 
months  schooling  in  summer  and  three  in  winter  was  the  rule 
in  Lyme  then.  As  early  as  his  seventh  year  Elias  was  reading 
the  New  Testament,  and  with  acquirement  of  ability  to  read 
was  awakened  a  pleasure  in  and  thirst  for  learning.  School 
days  ended  for  Elias  shortly  before  his  thirteenth  year;  and 
subsequently  he  attended  school  thirteen  days  to  learn  gram- 
mar, two  days  to  learn  arithmetic  and  eight  evenings  to  learn 
music. 

Stirring  days  were  found  in  New  England  during  Elias 
Smith's  boyhood,  and  Bunker  Hill  was  fought  on  his  sixth 
birthday.-  His  eyes  often  saw  the  British  ships  and  the  smoke 
of  their  guns  on  the  Sound,  and  he  was  terrified  by  the  boom 
and  roar.  War  news  added  to  his  childish  terror.  The  pul- 
sating religious  atmosphere  and  the  trying  years  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War  were  a  stimulating  combination  and  moulded 
character  inevitably.  And  this  boy,  slowly  taking  in  events 
and  drinking  of  the  prevailing  spirit,  became  introspective. 
Conscience  spoke  powerfully.  He  wept  for  his  sins,  in  secret 
read  the  prayer  in  his  spelling-book,  and  pondered  the  preach- 
ing he  heard  in  his  father's  house  and  elsewhere.  Morbid 
experiences  were  frequent,  and  his  surroundings  afforded  no 
relief.  As  a  man,  writing  his  autobiography,  Elias  Smith 
recorded  but  little  of  happy  childhood  impressions,  and  con- 
siderable of  the  morbid. 

A  serio-comic  episode  during  his  eighth  year  had  a  very 
unexi)ected  denouement,  and  left  a  life-long  impression.  Mrs. 
Smith,  comCormably  to  her  Congregational  training,  desired  to 
have  her  son  baptized  by  sprinkling;  but  her  husband's  Baptist 
training  said.  No.  All  of  INIrs.  Smith's  relatives  except  one, 
and  he  a  Baptist  preacher,  were  Congregationalists  and  believed 

1  Autob.,  p.  15.  2  ibi(j.,  p    23. 


ELIAS  SMITH  33 

also  in  iufaut  baptism.  Hence  the  perplexed  mother  had 
divided  counsel.  At  length  with  one  of  her  brothers,  during 
her  husband's  absence,  she  planned  for  the  christening  upon  ?. 
certain  sabbath,  and  told  Mv.  Smith  of  her  plan  when  he 
returned.  Although  disap}»roving,  he  promised  to  lay  no 
hindrance  in  the  way.  Elias  heard  and  was  seized  with  name- 
less horror.  On  the  appointed  sabbath  all  the  Smiths  repaired 
to  the  meeting-house  three  miles  distant,  and  Elias  forgot  his 
fear  in  the  joy  of  meeting  companionable  cousins.  However, 
when  afternoon  service  was  called,  he  espied  a  basin  of  water 
before  the  pulpit,  and  upon  inquiry  of  his  elder  cousin  was 
told  that  the  water  was  for  christening  purposes,  and  that  he 
was  to  be  baptized.  Then  he  rebelled  in  spirit  and  determined 
to  escape  the  ordeal.  When  the  minister  went  down  the  aisle 
to  lead  the  boys  forward,  Elias  bolted  for  the  meeting-house 
door,  was  pursued  by  his  conspirator  uncle  and  overtaken, 
dragged  before  the  sacred  desk,  and,  pinioned  hand  and  foot, 
subjected  to  christening,  in  si)ite  of  frantic  struggles.* 
Younger  brothers  submitted  gracefully.  Forever  after  Elias 
Smith  was  a  sworn  antagonist  of  child-sprinkling.  WTien  a 
year  later  he  saw  the  first  baptism  by  immersion,  he  mentally 
contrasted  that  ceremony  with  his  own  unfortunate  experience, 
and  viewed  the  sight  with  pleasure  from  a  distance,  thinking 
perhaps  he  might  be  forcibly  immersed  also.^  About  this  time 
a  revival  occurred  in  the  neighborhood,  and  the  boy  was  much 
exercised  in  mind,  but  held  his  own  counsel.  His  experience 
then  and  years  afterward  was  little  less  than  torture. 

Early  in  1780  the  Smiths  moved  to  Hebron  and  resided 
more  than  two  years.  There  Elias  practically  finished  his 
schooling.  He  could  read  indifferently,  was  entirely  ignorant 
of  arithmetic,  and  had  not  heard  of  a  dictionary.  How  he 
acquired  most  of  his  training  will  be  detailed  later.  The 
capture  of  Fort  Groton.  the  burning  of  New  London  by  the 
British,  and  the  Indian  raid  at  Royalton,  Vt.,  together  with 

1  Antob.,  p.  28.  =  Ibid.,  p.  29. 


34  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

much-talked-of  celestial  phenomena  and  the  awesome  preaching 
heard  nearly  drove  him  to  despair. 

Stephen  Smith  sold  his  Connecticut  property  in  the  spring 
of  1782,  went  to  Vermont  with  one  of  his  boys,  and  bought  one 
hundred  acres  of  land  on  a  north  hillside  near  that  part  of 
town  now  known  as  South  Woodstock,  in  Windsor  County. 
He  made  a  clearing,  erected  walls  for  a  log  house,  and  returned 
for  his  family  before  the  house  was  roofed.  It  was  one  hun- 
dred eighty  miles  from  Lyme  to  Woodstock,  up  the  Connecticut 
valley  to  the  vicinity  of  the  present  town  of  Windsor,  and  then 
through  valley  and  swamp  and  forest  and  over  hills  to  the  new 
home.  The  journey  occupied  thirteen  days,  was  very  trying, 
and  Elias  walked  nearly  every  step.  The  new  home  was  in  a 
forest  wilderness.  At  Woodstock  green,  in  the  north  part  of 
town  was  a  settlement  and  one  or  two  frame  houses;  every- 
thing else  was  log  house  work.  Smith  and  his  family  started 
for  his  clearing  and  cabin  after  three  or  four  days'  rest,  neigh- 
bors going  to  assist  him  to  locate.  Only  after  a  hard  climb  and 
clearing  a  road  was  the  rude  cabin  reached.  To-day  one  may 
journey  to  the  Smith  homestead  site  up  an  excellent  hill  road 
through  woods  and  past  beautiful  fern  banks  or  waving  clumps 
of  golden  rod ;  but  the  hillside  is  still  steep  and  the  climb  hard. 
The  first  sight  of  Stephen  Smith's  cabin  was  positively  revolt- 
ing to  his  son  Elias,  who  turned  and  started  for  Connecticut. 
Stern  commands  brought  him  back  however,  to  share  the  rude 
home.  Imagine  a  log  house  of  green  logs,  without  doors,  win- 
dows, floor  or  roof,  with  tall  grass  inside,  and  a  large  stump 
in  the  middle,  standing  in  virgin  forest.  And  imagine  what 
had  to  be  done  to  fit  such  a  home  for  a  severe  northern  winter, 
and  it  was  then  August.  Hardships  almost  incredible  were 
endured.^  Provisions  were  scarce,  crops  poor.  A  recital  of 
all  privations  and  misfortunes  the  new  settlers  went  through 
would  serve  little  purpose  here.  In  this  home  we  will  find 
them  for  years,  the  father  seasonably  tilling  his  farm,  plying 

»  Autob.,  pp.  38-44. 


ELIAS   SMITH  35 

the  tanner's  and  shoemaker's  trades,  Elias  and  the  other  boys 
sharing  his  labors  until  near  their  majority. 

In  his  sixteenth  year  Elias  Smith  was  introduced  to  a  new 
world  through  the  kindness  of  relatives.  Several  of  the 
Ransoms  had  moved  to  Woodstock  and  located,  becoming 
I)rominent  for  several  generations,  descendants  still  living 
there.  In  1785  Elisha  Ransom,  Baptist  clergyman,  was  hired 
to  keep  a  school  during  the  winter,  and  his  nephew  gained  one 
month's  schooling,  studying  Dilworth's  grammar,  much  against 
his  father's  wish,  learning  his  lessons  while  walking  two  miles 
back  and  forth  from  home  to  school,  or  while  lying  in  front  of 
the  fireplace  reading  by  firelight.  This  last  practice  injured 
his  eyes  much.  With  his  uncle's  help  other  studies  were  jjur- 
sued,  and  the  kindness  was  ever  remembered. 

About  this  time  a  deadly  scarlet-fever  epidemic  visited 
that  community  and  decimated  it.  Elias  was  again  thrown 
into  religious  despair.  In  the  woods,  alone,  he  thought  to 
pray,  and  then  refrained,  concluding  that  perhaps  he  was 
elected  to  be  lost.  By  slipping  while  carrying  a  heavy  log  of 
wood  one  day,  he  was  held  fast  for  a  time  in  the  snow  and 
stunned.  With  returning  consciousness  he  experienced  what 
he  afterward  recognized  as  regeneration  and  the  practical 
beginning  of  a  Christian  life.  It  was  a  day  to  reckon  from^ 
and  later  influenced  his  preaching.^ 

Then  Smith  became  exercised  about  baptism,  hunted  his 
Bible  through  in  vain  to  find  warrant  for  infant  baptism,  and 
finally  concluded  that  immersion  was  the  proper  mode.  His 
eighteenth  summer  was  spent  working  for  his  conspirator- 
uncle,  at  odd  times  reading  his  uncle's  logic,  rhetoric  and  other 
books,  which  were  his  constant  diversion.  Hard  labor  and 
constant  mental  application  damaged  his  health  and  necessi- 
tated cessation  from  his  employment.  Later  Smith  was  hired 
to  teach  a  month's  school  near  home,  at  $4  a  month  and  board. 
His  appearance   as  schoolmaster  was   rather  rueful,   yet   he 

^  He  enlarges  upon  this,  p.  60  ff. 


36  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

acquitted  himself  satisfactorily,  and  applied  himself  to  learn- 
ing. He  attended  school  ten  days  in  his  eighteenth  winter  to 
learn  arithmetic,  and  then  engaged  to  teach  again,  at  intervals, 
even  returning  to  Connecticut  for  a  few  months  and  making 
the  journey  in  singular  destitution.^  His  short  stay  in  Spring- 
field, Mass.,  was  his  first  real  glimpse  of  the  world,  which 
appeared  exceedingly  strange.  During  this  trip  and  visit 
he  frequented  religious  meetings,  taking  careful  note  and 
making  pungent  mental  criticism.  Smith  himself  was  almost 
unconsciously  drawn  toward  the  ministry  and  much  of  the  time 
in  deep  study. 

Returning  to  Woodstock  he  taught  school,  was  baptized, 
joined  the  Baptist  church,  swallowing  "articles  of  belief"  and 
all.^  Then  followed  a  long  fight  against  preaching  the  gospel. 
Reading  sermons  at  services  when  no  minister  was  present 
accustomed  the  twenty-one-year-old  youth  to  standing  before 
audiences.  Getting  leave  from  the  school  committee,  Smith 
attended  several  Baptist  associations  in  Massachusetts,  Ver- 
mont, and  New  Hampshire,  to  much  profit.  When  just  past 
his  twenty-first  birthday,  he  preached  his  first  sermon  in  the 
home  of  Deacon  Lawrence  near  the  Woodstock-Hartland  town 
line.  Solicitation  caused  him  to  overcome  his  bashfulness  and 
several  times  "improve"  his  talent  in  that  neighborhood.  And 
so  by  degrees  he  began  his  public  ministry. 

Induced  by  a  dream  and  urging  of  Samuel  Stone,  of  Pier 
mont,  N.  H.,  who  had  gone  clear  to  Woodstock  to  fetch  Smith, 
Elias  went  to  Piermont,  and  Bradford,  Vt.,  and  preached 
several  times.  Returning  to  Woodstock,  he  called  his  school 
together,  took  an  affectionate  leave  of  the  pupils  and  journeved 
back  to  New  Hampshire. 

Smith  as  Minister  of  the  Word. — Smith's  ministerial  life 
was  fraught  with  adventure  and  romantic  hardship,  a  tempestu- 
ous career  for  the  next  fifteen  years,  or  until  1816.  Our 
young  preacher  went  from   Vermont's  green  hills   into   New 

1  Autob.,  p.  102  ff.  =  Ibid.,  p.  131. 


ELIAS   SMITH  37 

Hampshire.  During  six  or  seven  weeks  he  had  preached  in 
several  phues,  received  half  a  crown  (fifty-five  cents,  the  first 
monev  received  as  a  minister),  and  revisited  liis  Woodstock 
home.  Immediately  the  tongne  of  slander  circulated  ruinous 
reports,  and  that  tongue  never  ceased  its  baleful  work  until 
P^lias  quit  the  active  ministry.  On  his  return  trip  to  Haver- 
hill, N.  H.,  he  was  first  urged  to  adopt  a  system  of  theolog}' — 
advice  that  proved  torment.  Seasons  of  depression  and  dis- 
tress over  doctrine  followed  him  persistently. 

We  cannot  mention  each  itinerary,  for  his  career  took  him 
pretty  much  all  over  New  England  and  as  far  south  as  Virginia. 
His  journeys  were  almost  incredible  in  number.  In  1791  and 
1792  Smith  preached  mostly  in  eastern  New  Hampshire,  in  Lee, 
Stratham,  and  thereabouts,  and  was  effective  and  sought  after. 
By  the  generosity  of  Capt.  Hill,  of  Lee,  Smith,  then  twenty-two 
years  old.  had  his  first  broadcloth  clothes,  but  never  was  recon- 
ciled to  their  black  color,  which  seemed  to  him  fit  for  a  coffin, 
but  not  for  a  live  man.  He  had  learned  to  despise  bitterly 
everything  from  the  title  ''reverend''  to  powdered  wig  and 
sermon  notes  that  pertained  to  ''established''  clergymen,^ 
whether  Congregational  or  Episcopalian,  or  of  other  faiths. 
Dr.  Samuel  Shepherd  and  Dr.  Stillman,  famous  divines, 
and  other  celebrities  of  Smith's  day  were  acquaintances. 
Smith  himself  w^as  made  bearer  of  letters  calling  a  council  for 
his  ordination  in  July,  1792,  and  made  his  first  visit  to  Charles- 
town,  Cambridge  and  Boston  on  that  account.  The  confusion 
of  street  traflflc  in  Boston  so  affected  him  that  he  turned  back 
and  spent  the  first  night  outside  Charlestown,-  and  words 
cannot  describe  his  trepidation  when  entering  an  elegant  city 
church  for  the  first  time  to  preach.  In  August,  1792,  Elias 
Smith  was  ordained  at  Lee,  a  large  concourse  of  people  being 
present,  and  went  on  preaching  as  before.  Samuel  Hopkins' 
famous  Body  of  Divinity  had  just  been  issued,  awakening  great 
controversy.       In  general  Smith  was  wise  enough  to  stick  to 

•Autob.,  pp.  206,  279.  =  Ibid.,  p.  222. 


38  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

plain  Scriptural  statements  and  avoid  controversy.  He 
invented  his  own  interpretation  of  the  doctrine  of  election, 
and  later  ascribed  his  lapse  into  Universalism  to  his  com- 
promise. 

In  January,  1793,  Elias  Smith  and  Mary  Burleigh,  fifth 
daughter  of  Josiah  Burleigh,  of  Newmarket,  N.  H.,  were  mar- 
ried, she  being  then  past  nineteen  years  old,  and  he  being  past 
twenty-three,  Dr.  Samuel  Shepherd  performing  the  ceremony. 
They  lived  together  twenty-one  years,  until  her  death  in  Phila- 
delphia. They  had  absolutely  nothing  with  which  to  begin 
housekeeping,  and  Mr.  Burleigh  provided.  A  new  pastorate 
had  been  begun  at  Salisbury,  N.  H.,  w^here  they  established  a 
home  with  some  gifts  from  their  new  parishioners.  Wherever 
Smith  went  revivals  sprang  up,  in  Salisbury  and  towns  near 
and  distant.  But  Smith  became  very  unhappy  in  Salisbury. 
In  fact,  he  never  could  endure  a  settled  pastorate.  He  visited 
Woburn,  Mass.,  by  invitation,  and  engaged  to  preach  there  two- 
thirds  of  the  time  until  spring,  1797 ;  but  immediately  changed 
his  mind  and  went  back  to  Salisbury.  While  digging  potatoes 
one  day  he  resolved  to  sever  his  pastoral  tie  in  Salisbury,  come 
life  or  death.  Bad  feeling  was  engendered,  but  Smith  was 
free — free  to  entangle  himself  again.  He  engaged  with  Woburn 
at  1333.33  per  year,  once  more,  moving  there  in  1798.  Being 
in  Rome  he  began  to  conform  to  Roman  manner  of  dress  and 
other  matters,  all  of  which  were  galling.  A  council  dressed  in 
black  installed  him,  in  which  were  two  D.  D.'s  and  one  or  two 
M.  A.'s  and  all  wore  "bands."  Smith  loathed  the  whole  pro- 
ceeding.^ And  now  followed  trouble  enough.  Salary  was 
not  paid.  In  time  the  Society  loaned  Smith  -f  1,000,  with  part 
of  which  he  entered  a  business  partnership  in  Woodstock,  Vt. 
Clerical  fashions  distressed  him.  The  trinity  and  election 
were  worse  than  Banquo's  ghost;  but  election,  special  and  par- 
ticular, won  the  day,  and  was  proclaimed  by  Smith  to  the 
scandal  of  many.      A  sense  of  bondage  was  again  irking  him,^ 

'Autob.,  p.  279.  2  Ibid.,  p.  287. 


ELIAS   SMITH  39 

and  once  more  the  tie  was  snapped.  Elias  Smith  went  back  to 
Salisbury.  N.  11.,  to  share  in  a  store  business  which  had  been 
removed  to  that  place.  He  had  to  sacrifice  his  Woburn  prop- 
erty, and  was  nearly  stripped  by  his  former  parishioners. 

This  removal  to  Salisbury  was  in  the  fall  of  1801.  Uriah 
Smith,  a  younger  brother  of  Elias,  recently  converted  to 
Universalism,  visited  in  Salisbury,  and  soon  Elias  was  preach- 
ing Universalism.  which  he  embraced  for  fifteen  days  on  his 
first  excursion  to  that  unknown  world. ^  He  had  previously 
abandoned  Calvinism,  and  swiing  to  the  other  extreme.  He 
was  miserable.  What  should  he  do?  A  sweet  voice  said, 
''Drop  both  (Calvinism  and  Universalism)  and  search  the 
Scriptures,"  Smith  then  publicly  renounced  Universalism. 
He  had  lost  his  theolog:;\\  Business  was  as  galling  as  a  settled 
pastorate.  War  between  France  and  England  depreciated 
prices  of  imported  goods,  and  his  company  faced  bankruptcy. 
Smith  turned  his  business  and  house  to  his  partners,  who 
assumed  all  liability.  This  left  him  a  horse,  chaise,  and  house- 
hold etfects,  and  the  two  former  were  given  to  creditors  after 
the  family  was  carried  to  Newmarket.  Six  hundred  dollars 
of  private  debts  hung  over  him.  Woburn  debts  were  also 
pressed  and  paid  by  note. 

His  family  was  brought  to  Portsmouth  to  reside  in  1802, 
just  before  the  great  fire  that  burned  much  of  the  town  and 
Jefl'erson  Hall,  where  he  had  been  holding  services.  Meetings 
were  then  transferred  to  the  courthouse,  where  Smith  held  his 
first  communion  services  after  the  New  Testament  fashion. 
Persecutions  were  visited  upon  him— stoning  of  his  new 
meeting-house,  which  had  been  erected,  smashing  windows, 
throwing  assafcptida  into  the  room,  uproarious  conduct  like 
Bedlam  let  loose,  disturbance  at  baptisms,  attempts  to  draw 
the  preacher  from  his  pulpit,  reviling  and  abuse  on  the  streets. 

Once  more  Smith  was  stripped  of  possessions,  this  time  by 
Salisbury  people,  although  he  owed  them  nothing.      And  now 

'Autob.,  p.  292. 


40  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

followed  his  association  with  Abuer  Jones,  and  formation  of 
the  Christian  Church  in  Portsmouth,  persecution  by  fellow 
ministers,  especially  in  Boston,  his  citation  to  appear  before 
the  Woburn  Baptist  church,  of  which  he  was  still  a  member, 
and  his  final  and  formal  withdrawal  from  that  church  and 
Baptist  fellowship.^  And  still  his  labors  in  traveling,  preach- 
ing and  writing  were  almost  Herculean. 

One  week  in  June  Smith  was  out  of  town  from  Monday  to 
Wednesday  evening.  On  going  to  the  meeting-house  he  found 
it  beset  by  a  mob,  rioting,  and  returned  home  without  preach- 
ing. A  letter  thrust  into  his  hand  threatened  tar  and  feathers. 
Next  day  a  mob  waited  upon  him  beneath  a  printing  office,  and 
a  friend  took  up  an  axe  for  Smith's  use.  He  was  accused  of 
writing  a  pam])hlet  issued  while  he  w-as  out  of  town,  describ- 
ing an  Episcopalian  priest,  but  was  innocent,  of  course."  A 
committee  waited  on  him  and  were  satisfied  with  his  disclaimer. 
The  mob  let  him  return  home.  That  evening  a  large  crowd  of 
friends  escorted  him  to  church  and  return,  and  guarded  him 
while  preaching,  and  his  house  through  the  night.  An  evening 
before  President  Jefferson's  inaugural  Smith  preached  "The 
Whole  AVorld  Governed  by  a  Jew,"  and  angry  enemies  became 
raging.  However,  town  authorities  interfered  to  preserve 
order.  The  real  author  of  the  j)ami)hlet  that  precipitated  all 
the  above  trouble  was  later  discovered. 

Smith  as  a  Journalist. — At  this  point  we  find  our  subject 
turning  to  journalism,  in  which  field  he  was  able  and  brilliant. 
Having  already  published  considerable,  he  conceived  and  exe- 
cuted a  plan  for  a  regular  periodical  in  which  he  might  express 
his  views,  and  in  1805  commenced  The  (liristian's  IMagazine, 
Revieicer  and  Religious  Intelligencer,  containing  subjects  his- 
torical, doctrinal,  experimental,  practical  and  poetical,  thirty- 
six  pages,  in  size  four  and  one-half  by  seven  and  one-half  inches, 
issued  once  in  three  months.  Popular  sermons  were  merci- 
lessly criticised  in  the  Magazine. 

'Aiitob..  p.  341.  2  Ibid.,  p.  .349. 


ELTAvS   SMITH  41 

He  next  occupied  himself  three  weeks  with  an  illustration 
of  the  prophecies,  which  he  first  preached  and  tlien  published, 
the  twenty-two  sermons  making  a  book  of  'M)0  pages.  \VhiIe 
in  Little  Compton,  K.  I.,  he  had  a  proposal  from  Isaac  Wilber, 
Esq.,  Member  of  Congress,  to  conduct  a  religious  newspaper  to 
advocate  religious  liberty,  and  with  others  Wilber  ottered  lib- 
eral help.  He  declined  proffered  assistance,  not  wishing  to 
abridge  his  own  liberty  of  action  or  utterance.  lUit  September 
1,  1808,  he  issued  the  first  number  of  the  Herald  of  Gospel 
Liherty,  a  folio  nine  by  eleven  inches  in  size,  subscription  price 
^l.no  per  year,  at  rortsmouth,  X.  II.  Its  name  was  indica- 
tive of  its  purpose,  and  it  was  a  religious  ncicspaper  from  the 
fi^rst,  and  the  first  of  its  kind  in  all  the  world,  so  far  as  is 
known.  Two  hundred  seventy-four  subscribers  were  on  the 
first  list,  and  fifteen  hundred  in  1815. 

Being  now  no  longer  able  to  get  a  printer  in  Portsmouth, 
he  hired  his  publishing  done  in  Exeter,  X.  H.  He  made  a  trip 
to  Maine,  preaching  at  several  places,  and  formed  a  church  at 
Portland,  whither  he  moved  his  family  in  1810.  This  move 
he  always  regretted.  The  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty  was  pub- 
lished at  Portland,  and  Smith  had  purchased  an  office.  Induced 
by  Elder  Frederick  Plummer,  Smith  went  to  Philadelphia  on  a 
visit,  and  was  influenced  to  settle  there,  moving  in  the  summer 
of  1811,  locating  in  Christian  Street.  The  paper  was  issued 
with  reasonable  regularity,  notwithstanding  its  editor's  many 
itineraries.  A  year  later  he  was  writing  a  ''Xew  Testament 
Dictionary,"  his  most  difficult  piece  of  work.  Freed  from  this 
five  months'  job,  he  visited  Virginia,  then  Vermont  and  other 
X'^ew  England  states,  making  a  two-thousand-mile  tour. 

Sickness  afflicted  Mrs.  Smith  and  the  eldest  daughter,  and 
he  was  badly  involved  in  debt,  gradually  losing  everything  he 
had.  His  jjublishing  ventures  were  very  expensive.  Another 
trip  to  New  England,  collecting  money  due  him,  helped  a  little. 
He  was  stricken  with  typhus  fever,  and  recovered  slowly,  being 
yet  unable  to  journey  to  Philadelidiia,  but  going  instead  to 


42  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Portsmouth.  Hither  his  family  should  come.  Then  word 
reached  him  that  his  daughter  and  wife  were  ill  of  typhus,  and 
later  word  conveyed  intelligence  of  the  wife's  death,  February 
27,  1814.  Six  children,  one  married,  were  left  motherless. 
When  able  the  stricken  father  returned  to  his  family,  and  plan- 
ned for  removal  to  New  England.  Three  children  were  left 
in  Philadelphia  for  some  time.  Near  the  close  of  this  year, 
Elias  Smith  was  married  to  Rachel  Thurber,  of  Providence, 
R.  I.  They  took  up  residence  in  Portsmouth  within  a  few 
weeks,  and  once  more  Smith  was  stripped  of  possessions,  even 
to  table  cutlery;  but  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty  he  still 
retained  and  published. 

The  first  half  of  1815  was  occupied  with  writing  his  auto- 
biography, although  that  was  not  given  to  the  public  until  1816. 
This  year  he  moved  to  Boston. 

He  openly  espoused  Universalism  for  a  second  time,  much 
to  the  scandal  of  his  many  friends.^  Other  changes  were  being 
pondered,  too.  When  friends  recovered  from  their  consterna- 
tion, a  storm  of  protest  arose,  and  Elias  Smith  was  again  a 
man  without  fellowship.  The  Christians  shrank  from  him: 
the  TIniversalists  did  not  really  trust  him.- 

A  consecrated  layman  of  the  Christians,  Robert  Foster, 
bought  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Lihertif,  moved  it  back  to  Ports- 
mouth, and  published  it  as  the  Christian  Herald,  bringing  out 
his  first  issue  in  May,  1818. 

^^xiitli  as  Thomsonian  Physician. — Smith  probably  had 
another  reason  for  changing  his  occupation :  his  critics  charged 
that  financial  difficulties  drove  him  to  a  change.  He  was 
almost  always  in  financial  chaos;  lie  traveled  and  published 
much  ;  he  had  but  meager  support  from  churches  and  his  paper; 
and  he  had  a  large  family  to  provide  for.  When  settled  in 
Boston  he  formed  a  business  connection  with  the  famous  Dr. 
Samuel  Thomson,  of  that  city,  originator  of  the  "Thomsonian 
System"  of  medicine  and  therapeutics.       At  one  time  Smith 


'Antob.,    edition   of    1840,    p.    350.  =  Ibid.,    p.    .S60. 


ELIAS   SMITH  43 

had  been  treated  by  the  Thomsonian  method/  and  was  so 
pleased  with  the  results  that  he  inqiiii-ed  into  the  "system." 
As  Dr.  Thomson's  pupil  he  soon  mastered  the  theory  and 
materia  medica  and  fell  into  a  lucrative  practice,  led  on  by 
repeated  calls  from  sick  peoj)le,  althouoh  he  had  intended  to 
practice  only  in  his  family  and  anionj>-  friends.  Calls  from 
outside  the  city  led  him  to  establish  a  private  hospital  or  sani- 
tarium, about  1830.  where  both  men  and  women  were  boarded 
and  treated,  at  No.  54  High  Street,  between  Federal  and  Atkin- 
son. Very  remarkable  cures  were  advertised,  includino;  goitre, 
dropsy,  lock-jaw,  rheumatism,  consumption,  dyspepsia,  leprosy, 
and  minor  ailments.-  He  also  published  two  medical  works, 
''The  People's  Book"  and  ''The  American  Physician  and  Family 
Assistant,"  copies  of  which  are  still  extant.  The  third  edition 
of  the  latter  was  issued  in  1832, 

When  Dr.  Smith  embraced  Universalism  in  1817,  the  I'orts- 
mouth  church  withdrew  fellowship  from  their  former  beloved 
pastor.  When  the  New  Hampshire  Christian  Conference  con- 
vened at  Gilford,  in  1823,  Dr.  Smith  publicly  renounced  the 
abhorred  ''ism,"  explaining  how  he  fell  into  it.  Before  the  same 
body  at  Durham,  1827,  he  made  a  similar  renouncement,  and 
at  sundry  times  thereafter ;  but  he  could  not  recover  fellowship 
with  his  old  comrades,  for  they  were  always  suspicious  of  him. 
And  justly  so,  for  he  relapsed  a  third  and  fourth  time  into  the 
doctrine  of  universal  salvation.^  When  Rev.  Hosea  Ballou 
became  a  resident  of  Boston,  Smith  formed  his  acquaintance, 
and  in  1819  published  a  book,  "The  Judgment  of  this  World : 
The  Prince  of  this  World  Cast  Out,  and  all  Men  Drawn  to 
Christ,"  advocating  P.allou's  doctrines.  The  Herald  of  Life 
and  ImmortaJity,  a  quarterly  magazine,  he  devoted  to  some 
phases  of  Universalist  tenets.  Ten  years  later,  1829,  Smith 
published  The  Morning  Star  and  City  Watchman,  and  other 

'  Autob.,  1840,  p.  3r>8.  -  American  Thysiclan,  pp.  0,   lo.  '  So  Rev. 

A.nson  Titus,  D.  D.,  of  tlio  Universalist  Historical  Society'. 


44  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

writings  were  issued  by  liini.  Five  medical  volumes  are  cred- 
ited to  him. 

In  his  old  age,  Avhile  yet  active  and  vigorous,  and  expecting 
to  do  service  still  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  Smith  was  received 
into  fellowship  by  the  Christian  Church  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H., 
in  1840,  and  into  the  ministry  of  the  Christian  denomina- 
tion, in  which  relation  he  continued  until  his  death.  From 
1840  to  1846  he  lived  mostly  with  a  daughter  in  Providence. 
Rhode  Island,  but  died  in  Lynn,  Mass.,  June  29,  1846,  at  a  ripe 
age  of  IT  years.^ 

The  career  of  this  man  was  very  remarkable  and  very 
romantic  and  checkered.  As  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  he  had 
remarkable  success  in  revival  work,  but  failed  as  a  settled 
pastor.  As  a  reformer  he  was  extreme  in  denunciation,  but 
utterly  fearless  in  championing  what  he  believed  was  the  truth. 
Through  all  his  vagaries  he  clung  to  the  Bible  as  inspired  and 
God-given.  He  had  a  true  vision  of  religious  liberty,  and  never 
lost  opportunity  to  declare  his  position.  When  traveling  and 
lecturing  on  Thomsonian  medicine,  he  also  preached  as  occa- 
sion offered  itself.  As  a  journalist  and  author  he  was  both 
prolific  and  brilliant,  compelling  attention.  In  the  medical 
profession  he  won  success  and  notoriety.  Had  his  education 
been  commensurate  with  his  ability,  his  life-story  would  read 
much  differently.  With  a  character  above  reproach,  a  tender 
conscience,  and  a  keen  sense  of  liberty,  he  preserved  his  man- 
hood through  every  trial.  His  labors  were  prodigious,  and  in 
the  early  nineteenth  century  New  England  he  was  a  command- 
ing figure.  His  portrait  published  in  1816  indicates  a  stature 
a  little  above  medium,  a  well-knit  body  endowed  with  great 
power  of  endurance;  his  foreliead  was  high,  with  hair  combed 
well  back;  tlie  features  strong,  prominent,  with  some  irregular- 
ity of  outline;  the  eyes  rather  severe  and  showing  effects  of 
early  strain  and  soreness.  As  a  speaker  his  presence  was  com- 
manding  and    his   address  engaging;    for   he   spoke   entirely 

'  Modern  Light  Bearers,  p.  216. 


BAKTON    W.    STONE  45 

without  notes,  with  natural  voice  and  ease,  avoiding  the  bois- 
terous manner  then  quite  common  with  ministers  declaim- 
ing off-hand. 

BARTON    WARREN   STONE 

Barton  Warren  Stone  was  born  near  Port  Tobacco,  Md., 
December  24, 1772,  the  son  of  John  and  Mary  (Warren)  Stone. 
John  Stone  died  w^hen  his  son  was  of  tender  years,  and  the  boy 
never  knew  a  father's  care.  Mrs.  Stone,  left  with  a  large 
family,  thought  to  provide  for  them  by  moving  to  that  new 
country,  then  '"called  the  backwoods  of  Virginia,"  and  with  her 
large  family  and  many  servants  she  settled  near  the  Dan  River 
in  Pittsylvania  County,  eighty  miles  below  Blue  Mountain,  in 
southwestern  Virginia.  This  emigration  was  in  1779,  and  into 
a  country  quite  undeveloped,  among  people  of  Arcadian  sim- 
plicity, where  courts  of  justice  were  rare,  lynch  law  common, 
pleasure  and  sports  simple,  religion  at  low  ebb,  the  clergy 
frivolous. 

Young  Stone's  brothers  were  Revolutionarj'  soldiers,  and 
the  stirring  scenes  of  those  days  were  indelibly  written  on  the 
boy's  mind.  Generals  Green  and  Cornwallis  met  in  terrible 
conflict  at  Guilford  Court  House,  N.  C,  only  thirty  miles  from 
Mrs.  Stone's  farm.  And  when  war  ended  people's  immoral- 
ities were  still  further  deepened  by  vices  the  soldiers  took  home. 
Barton  drank  deep  of  liberty's  spirit,  and  could  hardly  brook 
the  name  ''Tory." 

His  schooling  began  early,  but  to  little  profit,  under  a 
tyrannical  schoolmaster.  Only  most  elementary  branches  were 
taught,  and  Stone  was  soon  pronounced  proficient  in  them. 
Great  love  for  books  possessed  him,  but  books  themselves  were 
rare.  The  Bible  was  read  in  school  until  he  became  familiar 
with  and  tired  of  it. 

With  the  close  of  war  "priests'  salaries  were  abolished," 
and  most  of  the  Episcopalian  clergy  returned  to  England. 
Wicked  men  still   more  abounded.       Baptist  and   Methodist 


46  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

preachers  entered  the  country  and  marked  revivals  followed. 
Barton  acknowledged  himself  affected  by  their  preaching. 
Multitudes  attended  the  ministrations  of  those  Baptist  and 
Methodist  preachers,  and  many  were  immersed,  to  the  wonder- 
ment of  the  people  of  those  parts.  Stone  was  much  affected 
also  by  the  relation  of  converts'  experience.  In  general  the 
work  of  those  preachers  benefitted  society  greatly.  The  Meth- 
odists were  especially  opposed  by  the  Episcopalians,  but  were 
joined  in  their  opposition  by  the  Baptists.^  Noticing  all  this, 
the  boy  was  much  disturbed  in  his  mind,  became  discouraged, 
quit  praying  and  plunged  into  youthful  sports. 

About  his  sixteenth  year  the  father's  estate  was  divided 
among  the  family,  and  Barton  determined  to  become  a  barrister 
and  to  secure  ample  preparatory  training.  Hence  he  repaired 
to  Guilford  Academy  in  North  Carolina,  1790,  for  study, 
applied  himself  indefatigably,  denying  himself  proper  food; 
with  the  natural  result — high  rank  in  class  and  impaired 
health.  About  thirty  students  had  been  converted  under  the 
moving  preaching  of  the  awkward,  uncouth  James  McGready, 
of  terrible  visage,  a  Presbyterian  preacher  of  some  renown. 
Although  conscience-smitten  for  it.  young  Stone  avoided  the 
pious  and  consorted  with  the  impious  element,  even  contem- 
plating removal  to  Hampden-Sidney  College,  in  Virginia,  to 
escape  religious  influences.  However,  after  a  year's  soul- 
racking  travail,  he  was  converted,  and  lived  a  Christian  life 
the  rest  of  his  school  days.  About  this  time  Stone  began  to 
realize  how  expensive  an  education  was.  His  funds  were 
exhausted;  he  had  lost  most  of  his  patrimony,  was  unable  to 
clothe  himself  decently  or  to  secure  such  books  as  he  wished. 
He  therefore  thought  to  quit  school,  but  was  encouraged  to 
continue  by  the  master  of  the  school. 

The  "dead  languages"  and  science  were  pleasant  studies 
and  he  easily  mastered  them. 

Stone's  conversion  greatly  changed  his  future  career.      By 

1  Biog.,  p.  5. 


BARTON    W.    STONE  47 

advice  of  Dr.  Caldwell,  of  Guilford  Academy,  he  became  a  can- 
didate for  licensure  in  Orange  Presbytery,  in  1708,  but  utterly 
failed  in  preparing;-  a  thesis  on  the  Trinity,  notwithstanding 
his  familiarity  with  the  Bible  from  early  boyhood.^  With 
brooding  over  the  theme  he  became  confused  and  decided  to 
abandon  the  idea  of  being  a  minister.  Just  as  the  fiery,  even 
lurid,  periods  of  McGready  only  benumbed  his  spirit  and 
depressed  him,  so  the  dogmatic  theology  assigned  to  him  for 
study  likewise  depressed  Stone,  and  influenced  him  to  abandon 
the  sacred  calling.  As  abstruse  theory  the  dogmatics  seemed 
logical  and  assuring,  but  they  diff"ered  widely  from  what  the 
young  candidate  read  in  his  Bible. 

Gathering  up  worldly  possessions,  Stone  started  for  a 
brother's  home  in  Oglethorpe  County,  Georgia,  and  was  ill 
there  for  several  months.  By  this  brother's  good  offices 
Barton  became  professor  of  languages  in  a  Methodist  academy, 
near  Washington,  Georgia,  under  the  leadership  of  Hope  Hull, 
a  distinguished  Methodist  preacher.  This  was  in  1795,  and 
the  venture  was  eminently  successful. 

But  danger  lay  in  his  success  and  the  social  swirl  of  the 
coterie  to  which  his  attainments  admitted  him;  therefore  he 
forced  himself  to  deny  flattering  associations,  and  betook  him- 
self to  Christian  devotion.  Continuing  in  his  position  until 
1796,  he  then  resigned,  returned  to  North  Carolina,  received 
license  to  preach,  and  an  appointment  to  travel  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  state  with  Robert  Foster,  a  young  man  licensed  at 
the  same  time.  When  the  license  was  granted,  a  venerable 
father  addressed  the  candidates,  gave  each  a  copy  of  the  Bible, 
and  said:  ''Go  ye  into  all  the  world  and  preach  the  gospel  to 
every  creature,"-  This  incident  had  a  lasting  effect  on  Stone. 
Young  Foster  abandoned  his  ministry  upon  reaching  his  field, 
and  his  companion  resolved  to  do  the  same  and  to  proceed  to 
Florida.  The  next  day  he  mounted  his  horse  and  started,  but 
was    providentially    turned    toward    Tennessee.        In    Wythe 

»  Biog.,  p.  12  ff.  «  Ibid.,  p.  16. 


48  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

County,  Virginia,  he  chanced  upon  an  old  acquaintance,  and 
was  constrained  to  preach  in  that  vicinity  and  Montgomery 
County  for  several  weeks.  Over  the  mountains  he  journeyed 
by  easy  stages  to  Knoxville,  and  then  on  to  Nashville,  meeting 
with  strange  adventures,  and  being  in  danger  from  Indians. 
When  near  Nashville  he  again  encountered  old  friends  from 
North  Carolina.  Now  began  his  preaching  circuits  through 
the  Cumberland  country,  enlivened  by  encounters  with  ruffians 
and  deists  and  border  characters.  Stone  was  always  equal  to 
the  occasion.^ 

Having  completed  his  labors  in  Tennessee,  he  proceeded 
with  a  colleague  across  a  wilderness  country  to  Cane  Ridge  and 
Concord,  Kentucky,  continuing  there  a  year,  and  finally  settling 
as  permanent  pastor,  seeing  great  results  from  his  steady 
methodical  ministry. 

During  the  fall  of  1797,  business  called  him  to  Georgia, 
and  he  was  given  a  mission  in  behalf  of  the  infant  Transylvania 
University.  His  way  was  through  country  infested  with 
Indians  and  bandits.  The  horrible  conditions  which  he  saw 
among  negro  slaves  during  this  trip  determined  him  to  abandon 
slavery.-  Having  completed  his  mission  in  Georgia,  and  made 
a  visit  to  his  mother  in  Virginia,  Stone  returned  to  his  Ken- 
tucky congregations. 

In  the  fall  of  1798,  a  day  was  set  for  Stone's  ordination. 
Preparatory  thereto  he  studied  the  Presbyterian  confession  of 
faith,  but  stumbled  over  the  Trinity,  election,  i-eprobation,  fore- 
ordination,  etc.,  and  determined  to  forego  ordination.  He  was 
persuaded  to  proceed,  and  in  public  examination  declared  his 
acceptance  of  the  confession  so  far  as  it  seemed  consistent  with 
the  word  of  God,  and  received  ordination  without  objection. 
A  long  struggle  and  unhappy  months  ensued;  but  Stone  ulti- 
mately threw  overboard  Calvinism  and  found  light  in  the  Bible, '^ 

James  McGready  and  other  Presbyterian  preachers  were 
holding  remarkable  religious  revivals  in  Logan  County,  south- 

1  Biog.,  p.   21  ff.  ^  Ibid.,  p.  27.  ^  john  20  :  31   gave  him  tlie  light. 


BARTON    W.    STONE  40 

western  Kentucky,  in  1801,  This  was  about  the  beginning  of 
the  great  revival.  F>art<)n  Stone  went  to  see  for  liimself,  and 
saw  the  wihl  physical  manifestations  which  later  characterized 
his  own  work  at  Concord  and  Cane  Ridge.  While  the  revival 
progressed,  in  July,  the  same  year,  he  went  to  Virginia  and 
married  Elizabeth  Cami)bell,  daughter  of  Col.  William  and 
Tabitha  Campbell,  and  hurried  back  to  meetings  that  were 
ai)])ointed  at  Cane  Ridge.  Here  was  the  scene  of  a  great 
revival. 

The  Ridge  is  an  elevated  water-shed  running  northwest 
and  southeast.  Then  it  was  heavily  timbered,  except  for  the 
clearing  where  a  log  meeting-house  was  erected.  A  consider- 
able space  among  the  forest  trees  was  cleared  for  seats  and 
camps,  and  rude  platforms  were  constructed  in  several  places 
to  serve  as  preachers'  stands.  A  motley  concourse  of  people, 
estimated  at  twenty  to  thirty  thousand,  from  all  parts  of  Ken- 
tucky, the  Cumberland  country  and  southern  Ohio,  gathered 
and  camped  round  about  the  meeting-house,  covering  many 
acres  of  land.  Stone  preached  day  and  night,  and  at  times 
five  or  six  other  ministers  were  similarly  engaged.^  The  wild 
scenes  that  followed  have  long  since  become  well-known  to 
readers  of  these  pages.  For  the  most  part  the  Presbyterians 
frowned  upon  and  opposed  the  revival,  quite  largely  on  account 
of  its  excitement  and  strange  manifestations.  Some  Presby- 
terian preachers  were  engaged  in  the  work,  however,  and 
preached  the  heresy  of  free  salvation  minus  election. 

Stone's  excessive  labors  at  Cane  Ridge  left  him  spitting 
blood  and  greatly  reduced  in  strength,  but  soon  he  frequented 
the  revival  at  Paris,  seven  miles  distant. 

Richard  McNemar,  John  Thompson,  and  John  Dunlavy, 
of  Ohio,  Robert  ^Marshall  and  B.  W.  Stone  were  all  preaching 
free  grace  as  a  result  of  the  revival  im|>etus.  Both  their 
doctrines  and  the  revival  movement  were  violently  opposed  by 
the    staid    Presbyterian    elders.-        Finally    McNemar    was 

» Rogers,  p.  f><i.       Stone,  p.   l."?."!.  ^  Davidson,   pp.   140,   224. 


50  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

brought  to  book  by  the  Washington  Presbytery  of  Ohio  for 
heretical  preaching.  His  case  was  appealed  to  the  Synod  at 
Lexington,  Kentucky,  in  the  manner  described  in  another  chap- 
ter. When  it  became  evident  that  the  case  was  going  against 
McNemar,  the  men  named  above  withdrew  from  their  Presby- 
tery and  joined  in  organizing  a  new  Presbytery,  which  was  only 
a  new  tyranny,  and  soon  dissolved,  leaving  to  the  world  its 
famous  "Last  Will  and  Testament."  The  dissenters  wrote 
"The  Apology  of  the  Springfield  Presbytery,"  which  produced 
great  effect,  and  was  reprinted  by  Methodists  in  Virginia. 
They  finally  adopted  the  name  "Christians."  Stone  recast  his 
theology  to  accord  with  his  new  profession,  eliminating  nearly 
every  vestige  of  Calvinism.'^ 

Later  they  prepared  "Observations  on  Church  Govern- 
ment," the  formulation  of  which  rested  largely  with  Stone,  who 
became  the  object  of  general  attack  as  an  arch  heretic.  At 
this  distance  it  is  hard  to  realize  the  bitterness  and  malignity 
manifested  toward  him,  or  to  conceive  the  amount  of  persecu- 
tion he  was  subjected  to.  Synod  and  Presbytery  forbade  their 
adherents  to  worship  with  the  "Christians." 

No  sooner  had  the  din  of  this  conflict  begun  to  subside, 
than  Shaker  missionaries  appeared  and  took  from  the  Chris- 
tians Matthew  Houston,  Richard  McNemar  and  John  Dunlavy.- 
Stone  followed  the  Shakers  from  church  to  church,  night  and 
day  laboring  to  keep  people  from  being  misled ;  but  hundreds 
were  ensnared.  When  serenity  and  prosperity  again  super- 
vened, Marshall  and  Thompson  went  back  to  the  Presbyterians, 
and  Stone  stood  alone. 

In  1809  Barton  W.,  Jr.,  died,  and  the  next  spring  his 
mother.  The  home  was  broken  up.  In  1811  Stone  married 
Celia  W.,  daughter  of  Capt.  William  and  Mary  Eowen,  near 
Nashville,  Tennessee.  This  woman  was  cousin  of  the  first 
wife.  About  this  time  Stone  studied  Hebrew  with  a  learned 
Prussian  Jew,  a  doctor.       Events  came  fast  now.       To  secure 

1  Biog.,  pp.  56-64.  2  Davidson,  pp.  166.  207.       Stone,  pp.  63,  64. 


BARTON    W.    STONE  51 

a  livelihood,  he  taught  in  a  highly  respected  school  at  Lexing- 
ton; then  was  principal  of  Rittenhouse  Academy  at  George- 
town, gathering  a  church  at  that  town  of  nearly  three  hundred 
members. 

The  churches  rightly  concluded  that  such  a  man  would  be 
valuable  in  the  field,  and  induced  him  to  quit  teaching  and 
enter  evangelistic  work,  in  which  his  efforts  were  greatly 
blessed.  However,  he  was  not  properly  supported,  and  found 
it  necessary  to  locate  again,  conducting  a  private  academy  at 
Georgetown.  Reuben  Dooley  and  Stone  held  a  great  revival 
in  Eaton,  Preble  County,  Ohio,  and  then  Stone  traveled  among 
the  frontier  settlements.  At  various  times  he  went  into  Ten- 
nessee, Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois  and  ^lissouri,  preaching. 

Vital  consequences  to  him  and  his  reputation  grew  out  of 
Alexander  Campbell's  appearance  in  Kentucky  in  1824.^  He 
became  acquainted  with  Campbell  and  found  that  they  had 
much  common  ground  in  gospel  labor.  He  declared  himself 
pleased  with  much  of  Campbell's  doctrines,  yet  he  says,  in  his 
autobiography,  that  the  doctrines  had  long  been  taught  by  the 
Christians,  by  his  co-workers  and  himself.- 

In  1826  he  started  a  paper  called  the  Christian  Messenger, 
and  continued  its  publication  until  1844,  missing  some  issues 
during  his  removal  west  and  his  subsequent  sickness.  The 
particular  thing  for  which  Stone  is  remembered  is  his  famous 
''union"  with  the  followers  of  Campbell,  who  had  come  to  be 
called  the  Disciples  of  Christ.  The  first  day  of  January,  1832, 
at  Stone's  new  brick  church,  near  the  corner  of  Mill  and  High 
(then  Hill)  Streets,  Lexington,  Kentucky,  the  Christians  and 
Disciples  met  and  formed  the  famous  "union,"  of  which  more 
will  be  said  in  a  later  chapter.  Stone  represented  the  Chris- 
tians and  J.  T.  Johnson  and  John  Smith  the  Disciples.  When 
he  moved  to  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  Stone  found  both  denomina- 
tions at  work  there,  and  was  instrumental  in  bringing  them 

»  Biog.,  p.  140.  2  Ibid.,  p.  75. 


52  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

together  into  one  church.  He  continued  to  set  forth  his  union 
theories  in  his  paper  during  all  these  years. 

A  paralytic  shock  disabled  him  in  1841,  and  from  it  he 
never  fully  recovered.  While  on  a  visit  to  friends  in  Missouri 
where  he  had  preached  in  previous  years,  he  was  seized  with  a 
fatal  illness  and  died  November  9,  1844.  Not  long  before  this 
he  had  revisited  the  scenes  of  former  labors  in  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Ohio  and  Indiana,  and  his  Journey  had  seemed  much 
like  a  farewell.  His  beloved  Cane  Ridge  church  had  his  remains 
conveyed  to  Kentucky  and  interred  in  the  little  burial  ground 
which  surrounds  the  old  meeting-house.  A  marble  shaft  was 
erected  above  the  grave,  and  f^tands  there  to-day,  signifying 
the  resting  place  of  the  famous  champion  of  religious  liberty. 

The  Christian  Messenger  was  not  so  vigorous  a  publication 
as  other  journals  of  the  denomination,  but  in  it  Stone  staunchly 
defended  his  own  ground.  Some  other  writings  of  his  have 
also  been  published,  and  altogether  he  put  before  the  reading 
public  a  large  amount  of  literature.  It  was  characterized  by 
a  peculiar  grace  and  mildness,  which  probably  won  without 
offending  his  hearers. 

The  great  leader's  personal  appearance  is  described  as 
follows:^  "He  is  rather  small  in  stature,  but  thickset  and 
well  proportioned,  light  complection,  hair  curly,  has  a  pleasant 
blue  eye,  expressive  of  great  sensibility,  his  voice  bold  and 
commanding,  his  gestures  natural  and  easy,  his  sermons  char- 
acteristic and  instructive.  He  never  leaves  any  part  of  his  text 
unexplained,  and  seldom  do  his  hearers  go  away  uninstructed." 
This  was  written  in  1825,  at  which  time  Stone  was  clerk 
of  what  was  called  the  Kentucky  Christian  Conference.  He 
was  first  and  last  a  scholar,  a  successful  educator  and  minister 
of  the  Gospel :  by  force  of  circumstances,  a  religious  reformer, 
an  apologist  of  ability,  and  a  journalist.  Friends  testify  to 
the  humility  of  his  bearing,  his  perfect  frankness  and  honesty, 
his  intense  piety,  his  great  firmness  and  perseverance. 

>  Chris.  Her.,  Vol.  IX,  p.  51. 


DAVID    PURVIANCE  53 

DAVIO  I'URVIANCE 

In  David  Purviance  we  have  a  different  type  of  man  from 
the  others  whose  lives  are  here  sketched.  Fie  was  the  son  of 
Col.  John  and  Jane  (Wasson)  Purviance,  and  was  born  Novem- 
ber 14,  17GG,  in  Iredell  County,  North  Carolina,  being  one  of 
eleven  children. 

Colonel  Purviance  was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
settled  in  Rowan  (now  Iredell)  County,  North  Carolina,  in 
1764,  when  the  country  was  new,  and  when  a  living  was  wi-ested 
from  the  soil  only  by  severe  labor.  He  was  a  man  of  some 
note  and  ability,  serving  as  justice  of  the  peace  for  several 
years,  and  winning  a  colonelcy  for  excellent  services  in  the 
Revolutionary  army.  In  the  fall  of  1791  he  moved  with  his 
family  to  8unmer  County,  Tennessee,  then  nearly  a  wilderness, 
subject  to  frequent  incursions  of  Indians,  who  plundered  and 
murdered  the  settlers.  John,  second  son  of  Colonel  Purviance, 
was  shot  and  scalped  near  his  own  dooryard,  leaving  a  bride 
of  a  few  months.  Alarmed  by  this  loss,  the  family  moved  to 
Bourbon  County,  Kentucky,  residing  there  until  1800,  when  the 
Colonel  went  back  to  Wilson  County,  Tennessee.  Both  Colonel 
Purviance  and  his  wife  were  exemplary  Presbyterians  up  to 
the  time  of  the  famous  Kentucky  revival ;  and  when  the  Cum- 
berland division  transpired,  both  sided  with  and  joined  that 
church.  They  raised  and  educated  three  sons  and  eight 
daughters. 

David,  the  oldest  son,  was  given  as  good  schooling  as  the 
country  then  afforded,  and  was  apt  to  learn,  making  excellent 
progress.  He  learned  the  longer  and  shorter  catechisms. 
When  twelve  years  old  he  attended  a  seminary  in  North  Caro- 
lina, presided  over  by  a  Presbyterian  minister,  Dr.  Hall,  and 
studied  science,  Latin,  Greek,  and  such  other  branches  as  would 
prepare  him  for  the  ministry.  His  schooling  was  considerably 
interrupted  by  Revolutionary  War  vicissitudes  and  the  neces- 
sity of  helping  support  the  family  while  his  father  fought  for 


54  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

liberty.  And  yet  David  was  very  proficient  as  a  student. 
Severe  study  broke  his  health,  and  hindered  further  schooling. 
A  little  later  the  youth  engaged  in  teaching  Latin,  Greek,  and 
common  literary  branches. 

In  his  twenty-third  year  Purviance  married  Mary,  daugh- 
ter of  John  and  Martha  Ireland,  both  of  Irish  descent,  and 
engaged  in  farming,  settling  on  the  south  fork  of  the  Yadkin 
River.  When  Colonel  Purviance  moved  west  into  Tennessee 
in  1791,  to  Sumner  County,  David  and  his  family  joined  the 
colony,  and  settled  on  Cumberland  River,  near  Nashville.  This 
was  on  the  frontier,  and  Indian  atrocities  and  depredations 
were  occasional  happenings.  After  his  brother  John  was  shot 
and  scalped  while  at  work  in  the  field.  David's  family  also 
removed  to  Bourbon  County,  Kentucky,  locating  on  Cane  Ridge, 
three  miles  south  of  the  meeting-house.  David  had  a  task 
before  him.  Bourbon  County  is  now  a  fine  agricultural  region, 
rolling  and  picturesque ;  but  one  hundred  twenty  years  ago  cane 
brakes  and  verdant  forests  occupied  the  land.  To  farm  and 
get  a  living,  he  must  subdue  this  wilderness  with  his  own 
hands,  since  from  principle  he  was  not  a  slave  owner  ;^  and 
right  manfully  he  buckled  to  the  task,  erecting  a  dwelling, 
clearing  land  and  making  a  living  sufficient  for  his  family. 
For  several  years  he  devoted  himself  to  this  service. 

Kentucky  was  much  distracted  by  Oyer  and  Terminer 
Court  decisions  about  land  titles,  and  the  Court's  abuses 
brought  about  its  abolishment  in  1795.  Certain  lawyers 
sought  to  re-establish  that  court,  which  agitation  greatly  con- 
cerned state  elections  of  1797.  The  son  of  Governor  Garrard 
was  put  forth  as  legislative  candidate  in  Bourbon  County,  by 
those  wishing  the  court  re-established.  David  Purviance's 
friends  urged  him  to  stand  for  election  on  the  other  side  and 
both  he  and  Garrard  were  elected.  For  some  time,  when  the 
Legislature  convened,  John  Breckinridge  seemed  the  ruling 
spirit,^  and  he  introduced  a  bill  to  revive  the  Oyer  and  Ter- 

1  Biog.,  p.  17.  *  Ibid.,  p.  21. 


DAVID    PURVIANCE  55 

miner  Court,  ninking  a  telling  speech  in  its  favor  at  the  "psy- 
chological moment."  No  champion  appeared  for  the  opposi- 
tion, until  finally,  after  much  persuasion,  David  Purviance 
arose  and  addressed  the  speaker  of  the  Legislature,  much  to 
the  astonishment  of  everybody.  Even  his  friends  trembled 
and  gasped,  and  Breckinridge  himself  had  a  mean  fling  at  his 
uncouth  opponent  in  homespun.  However,  Purviance  clearly 
worsted  Breckinridge,  and  helped  to  defeat  the  proposed  meas- 
ure. This  was  probably  the  most  intense  and  dramatic  inci- 
dent in  David's  life.  At  a  later  session,  he  also  overpowered 
the  famous  Felix  Grundy  in  debate,  and  estopped  undesirable 
legislation.  He  served  several  terms  in  the  Kentucky  legis- 
lature, and  was  regarded  as  a  champion  of  rural  interests,^ 
being  prominent  as  long  as  he  remained.  He  failed  of  election 
to  the  constitutional  convention,  in  1799,  because  he  kept  no 
slaves  and  favored  gradual  emancipation;  but  was  re-elected 
to  the  Legislature  and  served  the  last  time  in  1802  and  1803. 

David  Purviance  had  already  purposed  to  become  a  min- 
ister of  the  Gospel,  and,  therefore,  was  compelled  to  part 
company  with  his  political  career.  Here  belongs  the  story  of 
the  great  Kentucky  revival,  so  far  as  our  subject  was  concerned. 
Of  that  marvelous  phenomenon,  mention  has  been  made  in  the 
sketch  of  Barton  W.  Stone,  and  more  will  be  said  in  a  follow- 
ing chapter.  Several  thousand  people  are  said  to  have  been 
awakened,  creating  a  most  extraordinary  demand  for  preachers 
and  pastors.  In  one  case  several  young  men,^  without 
theological  training,  were  ordained  and  pressed  into  the  min- 
istry without  sectarian  indoctrination,  and  with  consequent 
disregard  of  Calvinistic  Presbyterianism.  By  degrees,  oppo- 
sition arose,  and  heterodox  preachers  were  likely  to  be  called 
to  account.  When  charges  were  lodged  against  Richard 
McNemar  before  the  Washington  Presbytery,  of  Ohio,  the  case 
was  appealed  to  the  synod  at  Lexington,  Kentucky.      We  have 

1  Biog.,    p.    32.  =  Davidson    speaks    of   seventeen    "illiterate   exhorters  " 

P.  229. 


56  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

alread}'  mentioned  the  withdiawal  of  five  Presbyterian  preach- 
ers from  the  I'resbytery  when  it  appeared  the  case  was  going 
against  McNemar.  David  Purviance,  who  had  been  ruling 
elder  in  Cane  Ridge  Church,  imbibed  the  free-salvation  ideas 
preached  by  the  seceders,  and  iinmediately  withdrew  by  letter 
from  the  Presbytery  and  Joined  the  newly  organized  Spring- 
field Presbytery. 

At  this  time  Purviance  opposed  that  national  and  popular 
sin,  slavery,  maintaining  the  rights  of  the  oppressed,  down- 
trodden African.  He  never  had  owned  slaves,  but  both  his 
father  and  father-in-law  had.  Under  his  influence,  both  men 
liberated  their  slaves,  and  the  majority  of  Cane  Ridge  church 
members  did  likewise. 

With  great  zeal  David  Purviance  entered  upon  his  min- 
istry. He  was  large  and  tall,  with  strong  constitution,  prom- 
inent high  forehead,  large  nose  and  heavy  chin.  His  features 
denoted  strong  character  and  great  intellectuality;  his  voice 
was  strong  and  his  manner  forceful  and  energetic.  Night  and 
day  he  preached,  exhorted,  sang  and  prayed,  convincing  many 
by  his  demeanor  that  he  was  very  enthusiastic.  He  is  said  to 
have  practiced  setting  apart  a  day,  before  preaching,  for  deep 
research,  investigation,  fasting,  prayer  and  meditation.  Con- 
vsequently,  he  went  to  his  task  thoroughly  prepared.  In  his 
early  preaching  career  his  circumstances  were  very  poor,  and 
his  children  were  compelled  to  assist  their  mother  to  support 
the  family  while  their  father  traveled  in  Kentucky,  North  Caro- 
lina, Tennessee  and  Ohio,  preaching  the  Gospel.  In  1806,  he 
bought  a  tract  of  land  in  Preble  County,  Ohio,  sending  his  son 
Levi  to  make  some  improvements  during  the  summer.  A 
colony  had  emigrated  from  Cane  Ridge  to  Preble  County,  which 
was  then  a  frontier,  more  Indians  being  in  evidence  than  white 
people.  In  the  fall  of  1807,  Purviance  moved  to  Preble  County, 
and  organized  a  church  with  perhaps  twenty-five  members, 
largely  composed  of  people  from  Cane  Ridge  Church.  This 
settlement  was  at  New  Paris,  probably  named  from  Paris,  Ken- 


DAVID    PURVIANCE  57 

tucky.  His  ministrations  were  not  confined  exclusively  to  the 
new  church,  but  lie  i»re;u-lied  on  the  frontiers  of  Ohio  and 
Indiana,  sutiering  much  in  his  travels,  because  of  sparsely  set- 
tled country  and  bad  roads.  Perhaps  even  worse  than  these 
sulferinjis  Avere  those  inflicted  ))y  men  who  ridiculed  the  doc- 
trines preached  by  Purviance  and  his  fellow- workers. 

The  autumn  of  1809  saw  Purviance  elected  to  the  legisla- 
ture as  representative  for  Montgomery  and  I*reble  Counties. 
The  next  year  he  went  to  the  Senate  for  a  two  years'  term.  In 
1812  he  was  re-elected  senator  by  Preble,  Dark  and  Miami 
counties,  serving  them  four  years;  and  gradually  the  whole 
State  became  aware  of  his  value  as  a  legislator,  capable  of 
defending  the  rights  of  all  classes  and  thoroughly  insistent  on 
doing  right.  He  was  one  of  few  men  trusted  to  draw  up  bills 
for  legislative  enactment.  His  influence  was  cast  for  estab- 
lishment of  a  State  Penitentiary,  for  location  of  Miami  Uni- 
versity at  Oxford,  and  for  repeal  of  the  so-called  "Black  Laws" 
of  the  State  of  Ohio.  These  laws  concerned  negroes  within 
the  state,  both  free  and  slave. 

But  his  main  labor  all  along  was  as  pastor  and  minister. 
The  church  at  New  Paris  grew  so  large  that  it  swarmed  and 
formed  a  new  church  called  Shiloh,  both  congregations  remain- 
ing under  Purviance's  pastoral  care  until  near  the  close  of  his 
life.  Then  the  Reformers,  or  Campbellites,  as  they  were  called, 
succeeded  in  dividing  both  churches,  much  to  the  aged  pastor's 
distress.  In  1843  Barton  W.  Stone  visited  New  Paris  while 
protracted  meetings  were  in  session,  and  the  meeting  of  the  two 
old  champions  of  religious  liberty  was  most  affecting,  as  they 
fell  upon  one  another's  necks.  And  so  Purviance's  life  mel- 
lowed in  service  of  his  country,  the  commonwealth  and  his 
churches,  until  the  gradual  dissolution  of  his  body.  His  wife, 
Mary  Purviance,  had  died  in  the  year  1835.  In  August,  1847, 
his  health  declined  rapidly,  and  almost  without  a  struggle  he 
dropi^ed  from  this  present  existence.  He  was  a  man  of  daunt- 
less  courage,   well   trained   mind   and    statesman-like   grasp; 


58  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

always  humble,  he  was  ready  to  give  others  precedence.  His 
fifteen  terms  of  service  in  the  Kentucky  and  Ohio  legislatures 
entitle  him  to  lasting  remembrance  and  gratitude.  For  more 
than  forty  years  he  was  a  popular,  persuasive  minister  of  the 
Gospel  and  herald  of  peace  among  brethren.  During  his  last 
years  his  heart  was  in  the  Washingtonian  temperance  reform. 
To  the  young  Christian  denomination  he  was  a  tower  of 
strength. 

WILLIAM  KINKADE 

About  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War  western  Penn- 
sylvania was  still  in  a  state  of  crude  settlement.  Students  of 
history  will  readily  recall  events  illustrating  the  backward 
social  and  industrial  conditions  of  that  country.  To  some 
unnamed  locality  in  the  western  part  of  the  Keystone  state  we 
must  now  turn ;  for  into  a  poor  home  in  that  nameless  locality 
was  born  a  baby  boy  on  the  22nd  day  of  September,  1783,  who 
was  named  William  Kinkade.  In  writing  a  brief  sketch  of  his 
life,  Kinkade,  as  a  mature  man,  did  not  even  give  us  the  names 
of  his  parents.  He  says  laconically  that  he  was  born  and  lived 
a  few  years  in  the  "backwoods"  of  the  state  and  section  men- 
tioned. And  then  when  the  boy  was  about  three  years  old, 
his  parents  left  the  backwoods  and  settled  upon  a  frontier, 
this  time  in  Kentucky.  He  grew  up  in  the  Kentucky  wilds  in 
the  days  of  Indian  war  and  scares,  and  saw  lawlessness  and 
barbarity  a  plenty. 

Of  his  education  but  the  briefest  mention  is  made,  indicat- 
ing that  the  best  of  his  early  schooling  was  obtained  at  the 
knees  of  his  mother  who  gave  him  also  his  earliest  religious 
impressions,  and  seems  to  have  taught  him  out  of  the  New 
Testament.  What  little  actual  schooling  he  received  as  a  boy 
was  exceedingly  rudimentary,  and  the  text-book  in  use  was 
also  the  New  Testament.  The  Kinkades  were  connected  with 
the  Presbyterian  church  and  William's  mother  taught  him  the 
"Mother's  Catechism,"  and  the  others ;  but  he  remarks  that  he 


WILLIAM  KINKADE  59 

never  believed  all  they  contained.  Nevertheless  as  a  little 
lad  he  was  religiously  inclined,  and  used  to  retire  to  the  woods 
alone  to  pray.  His  boyish  mind  conceived  of  God  as  the  great- 
est and  oldest  person  in  existence,  and  of  Jesus  Christ  as  next 
in  age. 

The  popular  ideal  of  the  section  of  Kentucky  in  which  he 
grew  to  manhood  was  his  ideal,  of  which  he  says :  "And  I  verily 
thought  that  to  be  a  brave,  skilful  warrior,  or  a  good  hunter, 
was  the  greatest  honor  to  which  any  man  could  attain.''  ^  And 
one  of  his  personal  acquaintances  wrote :  "We  first  behold  him 
a  wild,  romantic  youth,  in  the  majestic  forests  of  Kentucky — 
his  native  land  [the  allusion  to  his  nativity  is  a  mistake]  in  his 
leathern  dress,  with  his  deadly  rifle,  pursuing  the  nimble  deer 
and  fierce  wolf  with  a  heart  fraught  with  courage,  pride  and 
native  ambition."  -  When  he  reached  young  manhood  he 
could  read  and  write  very  indifferently. 

Naturally  religious,  oppressed  with  a  sense  of  sin  almost 
from  his  young  boyhood  days,  he  was  deeply  affected  by  reports 
of  the  great  revival  in  his  state,  and  lay  under  an  increased 
sense  of  conviction  of  sin  until  his  conversion  at  a  large  camp- 
meeting  in  the  year  1802.  The  protracted  state  of  depression 
was  followed  by  a  most  joyous  sense  of  release  from  condemna- 
tion, and  almost  immediately  Kinkade  felt  impressed  to  begin 
preaching.  He  therefore  quit  his  frontier  life,  and  his  parents' 
home,  and  traveled  about  preaching.  Preparatory  to  preach- 
ing he  bought  a  pocket  Bible,  without  notes,  comments,  or  mar- 
ginal references,  and  paid  the  Presbyterian  of  whom  he  bought 
it  by  three  days'  work  grubbing  in  a  brier  patch.  From  reading 
that  Bible,  without  the  assistance  of  commentary,  he  formed 
his  mature  religious  views,  and  from  them  never  found  reason 
to  recede.  Later  he  was  accused  of  Unitarian  sentiments  and 
teaching;  but  protests  that  his  own  theological  views  were 
formed  and  committed  to  writing  long  before  he  ever  read  a 
word  of  Unitarian  doctrines.^ 

1  Bib.  Doc,  p.  5.  2  Ibid.,  p.  313.  » Ibid.,  p.  5. 


60  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Following  upon  his  conversion  he  took  a  position  quite 
singular — he  refused  to  be  called  anything  but  a  Christian, 
and  decried  sectarian  names;  he  tossed  overboard  creeds  and 
like  standards  and  took  the  Bible  alone  as  his  standard  of 
doctrine  and  practice.  At  that  time  he  was  unaware  that  any 
other  person  in  the  world  had  assumed  such  a  position.^  This 
necessarily  affected  his  ministerial  relationship ;  and  although 
he  might  have  entered  the  ministry  of  any  of  three  prominent 
denominations  in  Kentucky,  he  refused,  preferring  freedom  for 
expression  of  his  own  views. 

When  William  Kinkade  took  up  the  Gospel  ministry  he 
was  not  only  illiterate,  but  ungainly  in  appearance,  mawkish 
in  manner,  and  clumsy  in  expression,  so  much  so  that  his 
ordination  was  opposed  by  some  persons  present.^  But  David 
Purviance  and  others  saw  in  the  youth  ability  and  future  use- 
fulness, and  set  him  apart  for  the  Christian  ministry  about 
1809.  Realizing  somewhat  his  deficiencies,  he  sought  remedies 
as  they  were  offered.  After  preaching  several  years,  he  entered 
an  academy  conducted  near  Newport,  Kentucky,  by  a  certain 
Dr.  Stubbs,  working  early  and  late  to  pay  for  board  and  tuition. 
There  he  acquired  familiarity  with  the  Latin  and  Greek  lan- 
guages. Later  he  entered  the  home  of  Barton  W.  Stone,  in 
Lexington,  and  in  a  class  with  Stone  and  others  became  quite 
proficient  in  the  Hebrew  language  which  was  taught  by  a  very 
learned  Prussian  doctor  who  was  a  Jew.^  Kinkade  is  reputed 
to  have  been  an  excellent  linguist,  his  proficiency  being  due  to 
intense  application  and  a  retentive  memory.  For  example,  he 
wrote  "The  Bible  Doctrine,"  a  considerable  theological  treatise, 
quoting  largely  from  memory,  and  making  quite  accurate 
critical  comments  based  on  his  previous  study  of  the  Bible  in 
Hebrew  and  Greek. 

For  several  years  now  he  traveled,  after  the  manner  of 
most  preachers  in  the  west,  preaching  night  and  day  as  oppor- 
tunity presented  itself  in  Ohio,  Kentucky,  and  Tennessee.    His 

1  Bib.  Doc,  p.  4.  ^pji-yiance,  p.  274.  'Ibid.,  p.  274. 


WILLTAJkl  KTNKADE  fit 

lot  was  rather  worse  than  that  of  the  average  itinerant,  for  his 
uncouth  manner  and  diffidence  caused  him  to  be  shamefully 
neglected.  An  incident  is  related  that  illustrates  the  point. 
With  David  Purviance  and  other  ministers,  young  Kinkade 
found  himself  at  the  home  of  a  noted  Baptist  preacher,  ''Old 
Joe  Craig,"  upon  a  certain  day,  and  was  set  to  preach.  Being 
entirely  unknown,  poorly  clad  and  travel-stained,  and  being 
of  rather  small  stature,  he  ci-eated  a  sense  of  disappointment 
in  the  assembled  audience  by  his  appearance;  but  he  was  equal 
to  the  occasion  and  preached  a  sermon  that  was  well  received. 
At  the  close  ''Old  Joe,"'  who  had  warmed  up  and  become  very 
happy,  arose,  rubbed  the  side  of  his  head  with  one  hand,  and  in 
a  whining  tone  of  voice  began  to  exclaim :  "O  bless  God !  Our 
blessed  Saviour  rode  into  the  city  of  Jerusalem  on  a  poor, 
leetle  shabby  animal,  bless  God !  I  have  been  trying  to  get  a 
blessing  ever  since  this  meeting  commenced,  but  I  could  not  get 
it.  But,  bless  God !  he  rode  into  my  poor  soul  to-night,  on  the 
poor  leetle  shabby  preacher,  O  bless  God."  ^ 

How  Kinkade  was  led  to  consider  immersion  the  only  true 
baptism  is  shown  by  the  following  story.  As  he  was  preaching 
in  a  grove  one  day,  a  father  brought  forward  his  family  of 
children  to  have  them  christened  according  to  the  prevalent 
custom.  One  boy  objected  to  the  sprinkling  ceremony,  ran 
away  and  climbed  a  tree.  The  father  followed  and  ordered 
the  boy  to  descend,  but  with  an  oath  the  boy  refused.  Then 
the  preacher  declined  to  baptize  the  boy,  regarding  him  unfit 
for  such  a  rite.  Soon  afterward  Kinkade  embraced  the 
immersionist  view  and  discontinued  infant  baptism, 

Joseph  Badger  describes  Kinkade  as  he  appeared  about 
1826,  the  zenith  of  his  power.  ''His  dress  is  rather  ordinary, 
his  conduct  and  language  humble  and  plain,  and  there  is  no 
disguise  in  his  manners,  and  his  whole  performance  is  as  plain 
as  yes  and  no.        He  is  small  in  stature,  light  complexion,  a 

'  Purviance,  pp.  274,  275. 


62  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

little  bald,  has  a  stern  blue  eye,  which  at  once  convinces  the 
beholder  of  his  discernment,  ambition  and  courage."  ^ 

Although  not  an  old  man,  he  had  aged  rapidly  as  a  result 
of  almost  incredible  hardships  endured  in  his  traveling.  He 
preached  two  to  four  hours  at  a  time;  forded  streams  and 
plodded  on  with  icicles  hanging  to  his  clothes  in  the  cold  season ; 
slept  on  the  ground  in  the  forests ;  endured  hunger  and  weari- 
ness. This  sort  of  life  soon  undermined  his  constitution, 
naturally  robust,  and  fastened  upon  him  rheumatism  and  a 
tubercular  trouble. 

Some  time  before  1818  he  made  his  home  in  Ohio,  and  then 
moved  to  the  sparsely  settled  wild  country  of  Illinois,  still 
inhabited  by  savage  men  and  beasts,  settling  upon  a  small 
farm  which  he  had  purchased  in  Lawrence  County.  Illinois 
was  admitted  to  the  Union  in  1818,  and  AVilliam  Kinkade  was 
a  member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention.  He  had  been 
preaching  right  along  and  gained  some  eminence.  The  over- 
shadowing question  of  debate  during  the  Convention  was  that 
of  slavery,  and  this  Christian  preacher  is  generally  given  credit 
for  a  large  share  in  keeping  slavery  out  of  Illinois.  He  wrote 
against  slavery  and  published  his  views  in  the  papers,  he  took 
the  stump  on  every  occasion  to  declaim  against  the  iniquity,  he 
preached  against  it  on  the  sabbath,  and  continued  so  to  do 
although  his  life  was  repeatedly  threatened.  He  is  said  to 
have  held  a  dirk  in  his  hand  while  arguing  on  the  floor  of  the 
Convention  for  human  freedom.  Of  his  part  in  defeating  the 
slavery  section  he  always  spoke  with  pride.  He  served  two 
sessions  as  state  senator  after  Illinois  became  a  state.- 

In  1823  Kinkade  was  married  to  Anna  Gregory,  daughter 
of  Samuel  Gregory,  of  Warren  County,  Ohio,  and  continued  to 
reside  on  his  Illinois  farm,  cultivating  the  soil  and  preaching 
round  about  the  neighborhood  as  he  had  liberty  to  do  so.  But 
his  wife's  health  began  to  decline  rapidly.  The  conditions  of 
life  in  her  new  home  were  hard,  owing  to  the  newness  of  the 

1  Bib.  Doc,  p.  355,  edition  of  1908.  *  Purviance,  p.  276. 


WILLIAM  KINKADE  63 

country,  and  she  was  homesick  and  discontented.  Consump- 
tion developed  to  an  acute  stap,e,  and  finally  Kinkade  took  her 
back  to  Warren  County  and  her  father's  home,  where  she  died 
soon  after.      He  himself  desolately  returned  to  Illinois. 

Following  a  long-felt  desire,  he  now  journeyed  east  to  visit 
the  brethren  with  whom  he  had  enjoyed  fellowship  by  corre- 
spondence or  otherwise.  This  was  in  1S28,  and  the  journey 
occupied  two  jears.  For  several  months  he  was  in  New  York 
City,  and  there,  in  the  home  of  Deacon  Feek,  on  Suffolk  Street, 
he  wrote  "The  Bible  Doctrine,"  issued  in  1829.  The  first  edition 
was  sold  within  a  few  months,  and  revised  editions  were  printed 
and  sold  later.  He  received  a  severe  injury  in  his  side,  while 
traveling  with  his  wife  to  her  Ohio  home,  by  the  overturning 
of  the  carriage.  That  injury  caused  him  much  suffering, 
making  it  impossible  for  him  to  sit  at  a  table  and  write,  and 
he  is  said  to  have  composed  his  book  standing  on  his  knees. 
In  the  preface  he  remarked :  "I  disown  all  party  names.  I  do 
not  profess  to  belong  to  any  sect  of  Christians.  I  fellowship 
all  good  people  of  every  name,  without  regarding  how  much 
they  may  differ  from  me  in  doctrines.  I  have  written  this 
book  as  the  sentiments  of  no  sect  or  denomination  of  people. 
It  is  a  sketch  of  my  own  views." 

During  the  eastern  trip  he  visited  a  number  of  places  in 
southeastern  New  York,  and  as  far  north  as  Saratoga  County, 
for  some  time  received  treatment  from  Dr.  Joseph  Hall,  of 
Dutchess  County,  attended  the  General  Conference  of  the  Chris- 
tian denomination  at  New  York  in  1829,  and  went  to  Boston, 
Mass.  But  his  health  failed  rapidly,  and  soon  after  publica- 
tion of  his  book  he  returned  to  Ohio.  Tubercular  affectation 
of  one  knee  began  to  cause  him  trouble,  and  his  suffering  grew 
so  intense  that  he  finally  summoned  a  physician  from  Hamilton 
who  amputated  the  leg  just  below  the  hip.  At  the  time  he 
was  living  with  a  brother-in-law;  but  as  soon  as  sufficiently 
recovered  he  was  removed  to  a  sister's  home  near  Burlington, 
Ohio,  eighteen  miles  distant  from  the  brother-in-law's.      Occa- 


64  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

sioually  he  wrote  short  letters  to  friends,  usually  mentioning 
his  gradually  weakening  condition.  Not  until  November,  1830, 
did  he  give  up  preaching.  After  the  tubercular  knee  had  been 
amputated,  the  pulmonary  trouble  increased,  entailing  severe 
suffering  which  he  bore  with  fortitude.  In  the  spring  of  1832 
Kinkade  seemed  to  perceive  the  near  approach  of  death,  and 
even  set  the  date  of  his  demise,  and  wrote  his  own  epitaph. 
The  end  came  on  September  20.  A  funeral  discourse  was 
preached  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Andrew,  of  Cincinnati,  at  the  cemetery 
in  Burlington  where  the  remains  were  interred. 

Measured  by  years  Kinkade's  life  w^as  short,  and  his  candle 
burned  out  too  soon.  In  spite  of  his  unprepossessing  appear- 
ance and  manner  he  made  great  impression  upon  people  by  the 
vigor  of  his  thought  and  speech.  He  was  useful  and  highly 
esteemed.  Several  pieces  of  writing  are  attributed  to  him 
besides  his  theological  work ;  but  they  were  not  of  equal  value. 
We  have  already  seen  how  he  fought  against  slavery:  his 
advocacy  of  the  temperance  cause  was  just  as  hearty  as  his 
efforts  for  human  freedom.  One  of  his  temperance  addresses 
is  preserved  to  us,  in  which  he  took  very  advanced  ground  for 
the  3'ear  1828 ;  for  he  advocated  total  abstinence  and  the  com- 
plete prohibition  of  the  manufacture  of  intoxicating  beverage 
drinks. 

So  lived,  wrought  and  died  a  man  who  always  signed  him- 
self, ''William  Kinkade,  a  stranger  and  pilgrim  on  earth." 


These  seven  men  were  leaders,  in  different  sections  of  the 
country,  of  that  movement  which  crystallized  into  the  Chris- 
tian Church  of  America.  O'Kelly  was  the  strong,  impetuous 
leader,  the  advocate  of  religious  liberty  and  antagonist  of 
ecclesiastical  tyranny;  Haggard  was  the  well-poised,  discern- 
ing man  ready  with  a  matured  plan  of  action;  Smith  was  the 
fearless  iconoclast,  the  brilliant,  rash,  bvit  unstable  reformer 
and  journalist,  to  whom  the  shock  of  conflict  was  but  an 
added  spur;  Jones  was  the  methodical  ground-gainer,  reaching 


SEVEN  GREAT  MEN  65 

conclusions  slowly,  holding  them  tenaciously;  Stone  was  the 
scholarly  theorist  and  lover  of  harmony,  the  mediating  apol- 
ogist; while  Purviauce  was  the  rugged,  logical  man  of  affairs, 
with  the  grasp  of  a  statesman ;  Kinkade  was  the  theologian  of 
this  gi'oup,  sweeping  men  to  conviction  by  force  of  fact  and 
argument.  Seven  great  men  were  these,  if  measured  by  the 
place  they  filled  in  America's  early  religious  history.  Mankind 
owes  them  a  debt  never  discharged,  because  by  a  train  of  cir- 
cumstances their  sun  was  obscured.  Their  labors  have  affected 
thousands  outside  the  small  denomination  which  they  uncon- 
sciously helped  to  usher  into  existence,  nay,  which  came  into 
existence  in  spite  of  them. 

We  do  not  dub  them  founders  of  a  denomination,  because 
they  did  not  truly  found  one ;  but  they  started  a  movement  and 
led  it  toward  separate  denominational  life.  The  brief  history 
which  follows  will  trace  the  movement  and  resulting  religious 
brotherhood. 


66  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

SOURCES   FOR  CHAPTER  I 

Life  of  Rev.  James  O'Kelly,  by  W.  E.  MacClenny.  Ph.  B.  Edwards 
&  Broughton  Printing  Co.,  Raleigli,  N.  C,  1910.  The  latest,  completest 
and  most  critical  biography,  the  result  of  years  of  investigation. 

See  also  sketch  in  History  of  Methodism,  by  Holland  N.  McTyeire, 
D.  D.       Southern  Methodist  Publishing  House,  Nashville,  Tenn.,  1888. 


For  life  of  Rev.  Rice  Haggard,  see  sketches  in  books  mentioned  at 
the  end  of  this  list. 


Memoirs  of  the  Life  and  Experience.  Travels  and  Preaching  of 
Abner  Jones,  written  by  himself.      Norris  <&  Sawyer,  Exeter,  N.  H..  1807. 

Memoir  of  Elder  Abner  Jones,  by  his  son  A.  D.  Jones.  William 
Crosby  &  Co.,  Boston,  Mass.,  1842. 


The  Life.  Conversion,  Preaching,  Travels,  and  Sufferings  of  Elias 
Smith,  Vol.  I.  written  by  himself.  Beck  &  Foster,  Portsmouth,  N.  H., 
1816.  Same  revised  and  printed,  with  some  additions,  in  1840.  An 
excellent  autobiography. 


The  Biography  of  Elder  Barton  Warren  Stone,  written  by  himself 
and  edited  by  Elder  John  Rogers.  J.  A.  &  U.  P.  James,  Cincinnati, 
Ohio,  1847. 

See  the  same  in  The  Cane  Ridge  Meeting  House,  by  James  R. 
Rogers.       The  Standard  Publishing  Co.,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  1910. 

Also  condensation  of  biography  in  Works  of  B.  W.  Stone,  Vol.  I. 
by  Elder  James  M.  Mathes.  Moore,  Wilstach,  Keys  &  Co.,  Cincinnati. 
Ohio,  1859 ;  and  sketch  in  History  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  Ken- 
tucky, by  Robert  Davidson.   D.   D.       Robert   Carter,   New   York.   1847. 

Stone's  paper.  The  Christian  Messenger,  1826-1843,  is  a  valuable 
sidelight. 


The  Biography  of  Elder  David  Purviance,  by  his  son  Elder  Levi 
Purviance.  B.  F.  &  G.  W.  Ells,  Dayton,  Ohio,  1848.  Partly  auto- 
biographical. 

Part  of  the  same  in  The  Cane  Ridge  Meeting  House,  mentioned 
above. 


For  sketches  of  William  Kinkade,  see  preface  and  appendix  of  The 
Bible  Doctrine,  by  William  Kinkade,  in  four  editions.      First  edition  by 


SOUKCES  FOR  CHAPTER  ONE  67 

H.  R.  Piercy,  New  York,  1829.  Revised  by  Rev.  Joseph  Badger,  pub- 
lished by  Marshall  &  Dean,  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  1832.  Fourth  edition, 
revised  by  S.  Q.  Ilelfeustein,  D.  D.,  published  by  The  Christian  Publish- 
ing Association,  Dayton,  Ohio,  1908. 


Short  sketches  of  the  above  named  men  in  Memoirs  of  Deceased 
Christian  Ministers,  by  Rev.  E.  W.  Humphreys.  The  Christian  Publishing 
Association,  Dayton,  Ohio,  1880.  Of  O'Kelly  and  Haggard  in  Lives  of 
Christian  Ministers,  by  P.  J.  Kernodle,  M.  A.  The  Central  Publishing 
Co.,  Richmond.  Va.,  1909.  Of  all  but  Kinkade  in  The  Centennial  of 
Religious  Journalism,  edited  by  J.  P.  Barrett,  D.  D.  The  Christian 
Publishing  Association,  Dayton,  Ohio,  1908. 


CHAPTER  II 


CHAPTER  11 

The  Spirit  op  the  Times 
1775-1805 

BEGINNINGS  cannot  be  thoroughly  understood  apart 
from  their  setting  in  time  and  place,  and  whoever  reads 
these  pages  must  think  himself  back  at  least  a  century 
and  a  quarter,  seeking  to  catch  the  spirit  of  those  times  and 
appreciate  conditions  then  existing  in  Virginia,  New  England 
and  Kentucky,  to  which  sections  the  preceding  chapter  has 
already  introduced  us.  In  passing  we  merely  call  attention 
to  the  pervasive  influence  upon  all  American  society  of  the 
War  for  American  Independence,  which  had  just  closed  when 
the  events  transpired  which  ushered  into  life  the  new  religious 
denomination. 

POST-REVOLUTIONARY   VIRGINIA 

Several  different  influences  moulded  the  character  of  the 
people  of  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas.  East  of  the  Blue  Ridge 
Mountains  they  traced  ancestors  back  to  the  Cavaliers,  many 
of  whom  sought  Virginia  in  the  days  of  the  English  Common- 
wealth.^ Along  the  western  frontier  and  down  through  the 
western  Carolinas  much  later  settled  a  considerable  number 
of  Presbyterians,  whose  ancestors  hailed  from  Scotland,  by 
way  of  Ireland  and  Pennsylvania.^  The  former  element  was 
Episcopalian,  and  gentry  inclined  toward  pleasure  and  ease. 
The  dominant  families  of  Virginia  were  given  to  pleasure  and 
sports,  not  unlike  those  followed  by  English  gentry  whose  kith 
and  kin  and  posterity  they  were.  The  clergy  of  the  Estab- 
lished  Church,  with   worthy  exceptions,  had   been   noted   for 

>  Elson,  Vol.  I,  p.  97.  ^  Davidson,  p.  17. 


72  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

their  pleasure-loving  proclivities.  "They  gave  themselves  up 
to  worldly  and  frivolous  amusements,  such  as  horse-racing, 
cock-fighting,  fox-hunting  and  carousing."  ^  The  latter  element 
was  Calvinistic  and  reverently  religious,  industrious  and 
sturdy.  In  Virginia  had  been  the  first  trial  of  popular  gov- 
ernment on  North  American  soil,  and  those  early  lessons  were 
never  forgotten. 

When  the  Revolutionary  War  closed,  Virginia  was  the 
most  populous  American  colony.  It  had  contributed  largely 
in  winning  American  Independence,  in  furnishing  soldiers, 
officers,  money,  statesmen  and  great  moral  influence.  After 
peace  was  won,  Virginia  found  herself  demoralized  by  past 
struggle,  and  soldiers  returning  to  their  homes  were  like  an 
epidemic  of  vice  sweeping  the  colony.-  It  is,  therefore,  easy 
to  imagine  the  moral  tone  of  that  society  after  the  country's 
defenders  returned  home  with  their  vices. 

So  far  as  material  prosperity  was  concerned,  Virginia  was 
greatly  blessed.  Slave  labor  was  common  and  tobacco  was 
such  a  standard  commodity  that  even  the  clergy  were  paid 
with  the  weed  and  turned  it  to  account  as  best  they  could. 
Since  slaves  were  employed  on  plantations,  agricultural  pur- 
suits were  less  hindered  by  war  than  they  were  in  sections 
where  tillers  of  the  soil  themselves  entered  the  army,  and  nec- 
essarily left  their  labor  unperformed. 

In  the  Carolinas,  Virginia  and  Maryland  the  Church  of 
England  was  recognized  by  law  as  a  State  Church  being  sup- 
ported by  taxation  in  Maryland.^  Of  course  the  church  was 
disestablished  when  the  war  closed,*  and  many  clergymen 
returned  to  England.  Church  buildings  were  left  to  decay, 
and,  if  possible,  religious  conditions  were  worse  than  ever  for 
a  few  years.^  Many  planters  defected  to  skepticism,^  and  the 
church  was  in  severe  straits.^ 

In  such  times  Methodism  was  planted  in  America.       Its 

1  Hawkes  quoted  by  Davidson,  p.  22.  =  stone,  p.  2.  »  Elson,  Vol.  I, 

p.  287.  *  McTyeire,  p.  252.  =  McMaster,  Vol.   II,  p.   12.  «  Bassett, 

Vol.  IX,  p.  173.  '  McTyeire,  p.  319. 


siTK  or  TiiK  (II. r'  i,i:p.a.\()X  niiucTi.  sruiiv  <■(>.,  v.\. 

Ilci-f  tlio  "Uepiiljlif'ini  Methodist  ("hiireh"  was  dissolvcil.  :iiicl 
"'I'lic  Cliristian  Chiircir"  of  tho  SdhIIi  w;is  orsnnizcd  in  ]~'M. 
bee  p.  01. 


1 

¥^i 

■ 

l^^^^^s 

^^W 

^^S 

niKSKXT  i.Kii.vNuN   L'ini:i'ii   j:i  ii.ni .\(;,  sLuiti    <_ 
Located  near  the  site  of  the  old  bulldin;: 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  TIMES  t3 

preachers  journeyed  to  and  through  Virginia,  being  subjected 
to  perserutions,  sojiietinies  not  allowed  to  i)reach,  so  intolerant 
was  the  Established  Church ;  but  after  the  Toleration  Act,  in 
1785,  matters  changed.  IMethodists  and  Moravians  had  been 
warned  from  port  before  they  landed ;  Presbyterians  had  found 
difficulty  in  gaining  foothold;  and  Baptists  had  suffered  most 
of  all.  "They  were  beaten  and  imprisoned,  and  cruelty  taxed 
its  ingenuity  to  devise  new  methods  of  punishmon^^  and  annoy- 
ance." ^  Meantime,  a  new  episcopacy  was  growing  in  Amer- 
ica. Methodists  had  increased  rapidly,  had  organized 
churches  and  a  conference  numbering  14,983  members  in  1784, 
when  Episcopal  Methodism  was  organized.  Francis  Asbury, 
sent  over  by  John  Wesley  as  a  missionary,  and  appointed 
Wesley's  general  assistant  in  1772,  w^as  the  dominant  force  in 
shaping  the  American  Methodist  Episcopal  Church.  Through 
his  sagacious  work,  the  separation  between  the  northern  and 
southern  congregations  over  the  question  of  ordinances  was 
prevented.  Southern  ministers  had  ordained  one  another, 
that  baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  might  be  administered. 
Northern  ministers  had  opposed  this  proceeding.-  Asbury  had 
api)ealed  to  Mr.  Wesley  for  a  suitable  form  of  church  govern- 
ment, and  Dr.  Coke,  the  first  Methodist  bishop  in  America,  was 
sent  to  ordain  American  ministers  and  superintend  the  socie- 
ties with  Asbury.  By  Coke,  Asbury  was  ordained  bishop.  In 
1787  Coke's  return  to  England  left  Asbury  alone.  Then  fol- 
lowed a  struggle  by  which  the  Episcopal  form  of  government 
was  planned  and  fastened  upon  the  Methodists,  a  system 
admirably  adapted  to  developing  a  strong  organic  body,  and 
Methodism  increased  rapidly,  extending  throughout  the  eastern 
states. 

coxnrnoxs  in  new  exglaxd 

In  spite  of  more  than  a  century  and  a  half  of  incessant 
industry,  labor  and  pinching  economy.  New  England  was  still 

»  Hawkes  quoted  by  McTyeire,  p.  251.  =  McTyeire,  p.  317. 


74  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

poor.^  Those  states  claimed  to  be  the  most  civilized  section  of 
the  United  States,  yet  they  gained  but  few  advantages  over 
their  rivals. 

It  was  a  day  of  material  development.  To  cultivate  the 
fertile  land,  build  up  manufactories,  and  construct  means  of 
transportation — these  things  were  deemed  pre-eminently  essen- 
tial to  social  progress.  After  these  were  placed  education, 
religion,  literature  and  art,  the  so-called  ornaments  of  life. 
About  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  the  inhabitants  lived  in  villages 
or  open  country.  The  villages  were  located  along  bays,  sounds, 
and  small  streams.  The  country  was,  perhaps,  more  thickly 
settled  in  New  England  than  in  other  sections,  homes  were 
more  attractive,  and  the  educational  spirit  was  more  generally 
developed  than  anywhere  else  in  the  country.  From  1790  to 
1800  there  was  an  enormous  emigration  from  New  England. 
During  these  ten  years  the  center  of  population  moved  west- 
ward forty-one  miles.^  There  was  an  organized  social  system 
created  by  the  union  which  existed  between  the  clergy,  the 
magistracy,  the  bench  and  bar  and  respectable  society.  Such 
a  union  existed  nowhere  outside  of  New  England,  but  was  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  the  eighteenth  century.^ 

Traveling  was  done  by  stage-coach,  the  country  being  dot- 
ted with  taverns,  small  and  rude.  At  long  intervals  a  really 
good  inn  was  encountered  in  New  England.  These  inns  were 
satisfactory  to  the  most  fastidious  Frenchman,  and  in  them 
travelers  could  pass  night  after  night  in  perfect  safety,  where 
doors  and  windows  knew  no  lock.* 

At  sundown  on  Saturday,  the  Sabbath  began.  The  great 
Bible  was  taken  down  and  then  followed  Scripture  reading, 
psalms,  a  long  season  of  self-examination  and  prayer.  By 
eight  o'clock  every  farmer's  household  was  asleep.  On  the 
Sabbath  none  but  most  necessary  labor  was  allowed.  The 
whole  family  went  in  a  body  to  meeting.^      Massachusetts  was 

'  Adams.  I,  p.   21.  =  McMaster.  Vol.   II,  p.   570.  ^  Adams,   I,  p.  76. 

*  McMaster,  Vol.  II,  p.  564.  ^  Ibid.,  p.  565. 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  TIMES  75 

evidently  more  strict  concerning  Sabbatli  observances  than 
other  New  England  states.  The  minister's  salary  was  any- 
where Irom  seventy-five  to  one  hundred  forty  pounds  (one 
pound  equal  to  |3.33)  and  was  payable  in  boards,  shingles  or 
produce  or  whatever  the  congregation  saw  fit.^  Pious  men 
complained  that  the  war  had  been  demoralizing,  making  men 
weary  of  restraint.  Sabbath  breaking  increased  at  an  alarm- 
ing rate,  as  did  profanity  and  levity. 

Puritan  morals  ruled  society.  The  life  was  regular  and 
amusements  simple.  In  other  sections  of  the  country  recrea- 
tions were  more  unrestrained.  The  Congregational  minister 
was  the  most  influential  man  in  the  community,  although  Uni- 
tarianism  was  beginning  to  undermine  this  denomination  and 
the  trend  of  wealthy  classes  was  toward  the  Episcopal  Church. 
Theological  literature  no  longer  held  the  place  that  it  did  in 
the  days  of  Edwards  and  Hopkins.  Popular  reaction  against 
Calvinism  stopped  development  of  doctrinal  theology.^  The 
reign  of  old-fashioned  conservatism  was  nearing  its  end.  The 
New  P^ngland  Church  was  apparently  sound,  and  even  Unitar- 
ians and  Baptists  were  recognized  as  parts  of  one  fraternity.^ 

This  i)eriod  was  not  characterized  by  intellectual  progress. 
The  effect  of  war  was  to  turn  all  energies  towards  physical 
and  material  recuperation,  and  education  made  little  advance. 
In  the  year  1800  the  Harvard  faculty  consisted  of  its  president, 
three  professors,  and  four  tutors. 

EARLY   KENTUCKY 

Kentucky  was  a  newly  settled  country,  not  yet  won  from 
the  wilderness.  Settlers  crossed  over  the  mountains  from 
Virginia  and  North  Carolina  and  up  from  Tennessee.  Indian 
depredations  were  still  frequent  in  the  last  named  state  and 
the  western  parts  of  Kentucky.  Forests  and  almost  impene- 
trable canebrakes  abounded.  And  yet  the  ''blue  grass  state" 
had  made  great  progress,  and  the  tide  of  new-comers  had  been 

1  McMaster.  Vol.  II.  p.  .".68.  =  Adams,  I,  p.  81.  'Ibid.,  p.  89. 


1Q  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

large.^  Endless  speculation  and  litigation  over  lands  had 
followed  the  influx  of  settlers  with  military  grants  and  land- 
office  warrants.  The  Oyer  and  Terminer  courts  did  a  thriving 
business. 

A  large  percentage  of  settlers  were  of  good  Virginia  stock, 
of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  enterprising  and  vigorous,  who  from 
the  first  gave  tone  and  social  standing  to  the  new  state. ^  Prob- 
ably, too,  most  of  them  had  good  religious  training  in  the  Old 
Dominion ;  but  the  exigencies  of  a  new  country  had  served  to 
somewhat  relax  their  fervor  and  their  practice.^  Character 
deteriorated;*  vices  of  newly  settled  communities  appeared; 
many  people  were  led  to  unsettled  habits;  military  duty 
increased  social  indulgence;  and  the  ideals  of  manhood  were 
not  far  removed  from  the  border  ruffian  type. 

Meeting  houses  were  not  plenty,  and  ministers  were  scarce. 
Sunday  came  to  signify  other  things  than  a  holy  day.  And 
yet  the  more  zealous  Christians  kept  up  family  worship  and 
religious  teaching  after  the  manner  of  their  time.  About 
1783  Rev.  David  Rice,  a  Presbyterian  minister,  went  to  Ken- 
tucky and  preached  some.  His  was  a  strong  character,  and 
quite  largely  through  his  sacrificing  and  efficient  labors.  Pres- 
byterianism  became  strongly  established  in  the  new  state. 

About  this  time,  too,  the  Baptists  had  gathered  congrega- 
tions and  numbered  sixteen  churches  and  thirty  ministers, 
while  their  Presbyterian  neighbors  had  the  same  number  of 
churches  and  only  seven  ministers.  In  1786  two  Methodist 
preachers,  James  Haw  and  Benjamin  Ogden,  began  their  cir- 
cuits within  Kentucky  ;  and  their  work  had  much  to  do  with  the 
later  revolt  against  Calvinism.  There  were  less  than  a  hundred 
Methodists,  a  few  Episcopalians,  and  about  three  hundred 
Catholic  families  in  the  state.^  One  remark  of  Davidson's  is 
impressive,  where  he  speaks  disparagingly  of  the  early  Ken- 
tucky ministers :  "The  most  of  them  were  not  above  mediocrity ; 

^  Davidson,   p.    54.  ^  iiji(j.^   p.    57.  3  stone,   p.    .HS.  ■•  Davidson, 

p.  63.  ^  Ibid.,  pp.  85-87. 


KENTUCKY'S   AWAKENING  77 

nor  was  the  dullness  of  the  axe  compensated  by  puttinjij  thereto 
more  strength.  Accustomed  to  a  certain  fixed  routine,  they 
could  not  move  out  of  it."  ^ 

To  conditions  ah-eady  named  should  be  added  dissensions 
in  the  Presbyterian  and  Baptist  folds,  and  sectarian  rivalry 
between  the  two.  A  further  factor  was  called  by  some 
"French  infidelity,"  by  others  '^deism."  ^  The  service  rendered 
the  Colonies  by  Frenchmen  during  the  Revolutionary  War,  and 
the  sympathy  of  Americans  for  France  now  that  she  was  strug- 
gling toward  republicanism,  readily  opened  way  for  French 
philosophical  and  religious  views.  By  the  year  1800  the 
majority  of  Kentuckians  were  said  to  be  devotees  of  deism, 
and  vice  was  prevalent.^  The  final  factor  was  the  political 
ferment  of  that  day,  which  naturally  kept  religion  in  the 
background. 

KENTUCKY'S   AWAKENING 

Rev.  James  McGready  entered  the  state  and  began  to 
preach  about  1790.  He  was  a  Presbyterian  from  North  Caro- 
lina, of  exceedingly  impassioned  manner  and  overpowering 
address.  Sometimes  his  visage  was  terrible  to  behold,  because 
so  distorted  in  passion.  His  preaching  had  remarkable  effects, 
and  just  at  the  close  of  the  century  excitement  began  to  grow, 
reaching  extensive  proportions  in  1800  in  Logan  and  Christian 
Counties,  southwestern  Kentucky,  and  extending  into  Madison 
County,  central  part  of  the  state,  the  next  year.  To  this 
section  of  country  Barton  W.  Stone  went  to  see  for  himself 
the  character  of  the  revival.*  What  he  saw  baffled  description 
and  greatly  impressed  him.  Returning  to  his  churches  at 
Concord  and  Cane  Ridge,  Bourbon  County,  he  told  people  what 
he  had  seen,  and  similar  meetings  were  arranged  for,  and 
l)lienomena  seen  in  the  southern  counties  were  repeated  in  the 
northern.        Meetings    were    held    at    Cabin    Creek,    Concord, 

>  Davidson,   p.   103.  =  McNemar,  pp.   8,  9.  =  ibifl     n    in        n.^i^ 

son.  p.  103.  <  stone,  p.  34.  '  P"    ^^-       David- 


78  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Eagle  Creek  (in  Adams  County,  Ohio),  Point  Pleasant,  Indian 
Creek,  and  Cane  Ridge.  The  last  named  meeting  was  the 
greatest  of  all  and  has  come  down  in  history.  Between  twenty 
and  thirty  thousand  peojjie  are  said  to  have  camped  about 
the  meeting-house  on  the  Ridge,  and  most  remarkable  and 
varied  physical  manifestations  attended  the  gatherings  from 
day  to  day.  No  class  of  people  was  exempt,  hundreds  were 
stricken  to  the  ground,  or  seized  with  convulsive  jerks,  or 
rolled  upon  the  ground,  or  ran.  or  barked,  or  danced,  or  had 
visions  and  trances.^ 

This  revival  spirit  pervaded  the  state  and  extended  into 
Ohio  and  Tennessee,  lasting  for  years,  although  the  peculiar 
physical  excitements  abated  after  a  year  or  two. 

It  is  necessary  to  enter  rather  more  fully  into  this  great 
revival,  because  grave  consequences  grew  out  of  it,  and  the 
conditions  should  be  understood.  Early  in  1801  there  had 
been  a  peculiar  seriousness  and  concern  in  churches  of  the 
state,  especially  among  Presbyterians,  as  to  why  such  spiritual 
dearth  prevailed.  Ministers  had  been  aroused  and  were 
preaching  more  spiritual  discourses,  leaving  dogma  and  specu- 
lative themes  aside.  It  is  therefore  easy  to  see  why  the  revival 
caught  and  spread  so  rapidly. - 

And  now  as  to  the  excesses  witnessed:  the  Presbyterians 
laid  them  chiefly  to  some  Methodist  preachers,  who  were  hand 
and  soul  in  the  work.  Most  Presbyterians  held  aloof  or 
opposed  the  fanatical  excesses.  And  here  was  one  root  of 
serious  difficulty  to  follow.  Davidson  alleges  that  camp- 
meetings  were  scenes  of  wildest  disorder  and  confusion,'^  and 
he  is  confirmed  by  McNemar  and  others.*  Stone  is  even 
denounced  as  a  "ring-leader"  in  these  disorders.^  Indeed,  it 
is  difficult  to  see  how  a  worshipful  spirit  could  be  preserved  in 
crowds  of  thousands,  some  people  fainting  and  hysterical,  some 
singing,  some  shouting  or  praying,  others  scoffing,  many  wan- 

1  McNemar.  pp.  22,  23,  61.  62.  =  See  Ap.,  p.  360.  »  Davidson,  p.  155. 

*  McNemar,  p.  23.  ^  Davidson,  p.  157. 


THP:  KENTUCKY  REVIVAL  79 

dering  aimlessly  about  seeing  the  sights,  while  scores  were 
afflicted  with  the  physical  contortions  mentioned.^  We  can 
hardly  wonder  that  Presbyterian  elders  were  greatly  concerned 
and  actively  combatted  the  excesses. 

Still  further  ground  for  hostility  was  given  by  the 
loose  associations  of  sexes  during  camp-meetings.  McNemar 
hints  at  this,-  and  Davidson  instances  cases  of  immodest  con- 
duct by  women  and  girls,  some  exceedingly  flagrant  cases  where 
females  were  under  the  exciting  influences  of  the  bodily  "exer- 
cises." '  What  the  lewd  element  wrought  under  cover  of 
darkness  is  suggested  by  the  venerable  "Father"  Rice's  pro- 
posal, in  the  fall  of  1801,  to  secure  co-operation  of  the  clergy 
in  a  "plan  for  regTilating  the  camps  at  night,  in  order  to 
prevent  opportunities  of  vicious  intercourse;"  "for  which  pur- 
poses the  sexes  were  to  be  strictly  separated  during  the  hours 
allotted  to  sleep,  and  night-watches  were  to  reconnoitre  the 
camps  and  the  stand,"  the  ministers  by  turns  serving  in  the 
capacity  of  watchmen. 

As  to  the  "bodily  exercises,"  Presbyterians  did  not  believe 
those  physical  phenomena  of  divine  origin,  or  a  sign  of  divine 
presence.  McXemar  seems  careful  to  distinguish  between 
the  real  work  of  grace  and  the  "exercises."  Elder  John 
Rogers  disapproved  of  the  "excesses"  (contortions).*  ^ 

Rogers  answers  Davidson's  charge  that  Stone  was  a  ring- 
leader in  revival  excesses  by  quoting  an  early  acquaintance  of 
Stone's,  who  was  with  him  through  the  whole  course  of  the 
revival,  a  man  remarkable  for  accuracy  and  fidelity  in  detailing 
facts,  to  the  effect  "that  he  never  saw  him  clap  his  hands,  nor 
heard  him  shout  glory,  or  stamp  his  foot,  or  strike  his  Bible,  or 
the  board  before  him,  with  his  hand — that  he  never  was  the 
subject  of  the  jerks,  or  any  of  the  bodily  exercises,  as  they  were 
called."      Stone's  letter  to  Robert  Marshall,  quoted  by  David- 

'  Purviance,  p.  300.       McNemar.  p.  26.  ^  McNemar.  p.  34.  •  David- 

son, p.  164.       Purviance.  pp.  300.  30:?.  *  Stone,  pp.   369-375.  » Readers 

are  referred  to  a  recent  pamphlet.  "Emotional  Delusions."  by  Rev.  .1.  W.  Blosser. 
I>.  D..  published  by  the  Congregational  Home  Missionary  Society,  287  Fourth 
Avenue,   N.  Y.  'Stone.  Ap..  p.  1. 


80  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

son,  speaks  of  some  Christian  churches  being  led  away  by  too 
much  noise.i  It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  physical  exer- 
cises have  appeared  among  different  sects  in  different  parts  of 
the  country,  and  were  not  peculiar  to  Stone's  meetings.  That 
level-headed  man  seemed  to  think,  however,  that  bodily  agita- 
tions w^ere  permitted  to  arrest  people's  attention,  and  hence 
were  in  a  way  divine  manifestations.- 

Still  another  difficulty  grew  out  of  doctrines  preached  at 
camp-meeting  revivals.  Davidson  says:  ''The  doctrine  of 
election  and  special  grace  being  openly  denied  and  ridiculed."  ^ 
He  attributes  this  subversion  of  Presbyterian  teaching  largely 
to  the  Methodists,  and  probably  their  influence  had  much  to  do 
with  it.  And  yet  it  should  be  remembered  that  a  considerable 
number  of  preachers  were  called  into  service  during  the  revival 
years  who  had  no  training  and  no  sectarian  indoctrination, 
and  who  preached  about  as  most  men  would,  without  the  spell 
of  sectarian  dogma.*  The  spirit  of  unanimity  began  to  fade 
from  the  revivals,  and  again  sectarian  doctrines  were  elevated 
to  prominence.  The  Presbyterians  formed  a  purpose  to  with- 
stand errors  which  had  grown  out  of  revivals  and  still  con- 
tinued. Individuals  and  congregations  were  incited  to  action, 
and  Richard  McNemar  and  John  Thompson  were  accused  of 
heresy  before  their  own  Presbytery,  the  Washington,  and 
McNemar  was  convicted  of  holding  "Arminian  tenets ;"  and  yet 
in  1803  their  cases  were  dismissed.  These  proceedings  were 
brought  before  the  Synod  of  Kentucky,  at  Lexington,  in  Sep- 
tember, 1803,  and  it  became  evident  that  the  verdict  would  be 
against  McNemar,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  proceed- 
ings were  irregular.  The  denouement  of  this  trial  will  form 
part  of  the  following  chapter. 

One  can  easily  see  now  why  the  Presbyterians  opposed 
camp-meeting  revivals :  on  account  of  the  disorders,  late  hours, 
bodilv  exercises,  presence  of  lewd  characters  and  loose  associa- 
tions of  the  sexes,    disregard  of  their  doctrine,  and  entanglement 

1  Davidson,   p.   210.  =  Stone,   p.   38.  =  Davidson,   p.    166.  ■•  See 

Ap.,  p.  369. 


THE  SPIRIT  OF  THE  TIMES  81 

of  some  Presbyterian  preaehers  and  churches  in  the  swirl. 
Stone  says  that  jealousy  of  the  Baptists  and  Methodists  was 
also  a  reason.^ 

It  has  been  necessary  to  lead  the  reader  into  these  details, 
that  he  might  understand  religious  conditions  in  Kentucky 
for  several  years  about  the  time  the  new  denomination  sprang 
up  there  headed  by  Stone  and  others  who  came  out  from  the 
Presbyterian  church. 

»  stone,  p.  46. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  II 

For  Virginia  and  ^'orth  Carolina — 

History  of  the  United  States,  Vol.  I.  by  Louis  Elson.  The  Mac- 
mi  11  an  Co..  100.5. 

History  of  the  People  of  the  United  States.  Vol.  II.  by  Prof.  J.  B. 
McMaster.      D.  Appleton  &  Co.,  1885. 

The  American  Nation,  Vol.  IX,  by  J.  S.  Bassett.  Harper  &  Brothers, 
1906. 

Also   the   works   of    McTyeire   and   Davidson,   quoted   in   previous 
chapter. 
For  Kentucky — 

History  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  the  State  of  Kentucky,  by 
Robert  Davidson,  D.  D.,  before  quoted. 

The  Kentucky  Revival,  by  Richard  McNemar.  Reprinted  by 
Edward  O.  Jenkins,  New  York.  1846. 

Autobiography  of  Abraham  Snethen,  collected  and  compiled  by  Mrs. 
N.  E.  Lamb ;  corrected  and  revised  by  J.  F.  Burnett,  D.  D.  The  Chris- 
tian Publishing  Association,  Dayton,  Ohio,  1909.  Especially  early 
chapters. 

And  passim  in  biographies  of  Stone  and  Purviauce. 
For  tiew  England — 

The  American  Nation :  The  Federalist  System,  by  J.  S,  Bassett. 

History  of  the  United  States.  Vol.  I,  by  Henry  Adams*.  Chas. 
Scribner's  Sons,  1880. 

Also  the  works  of  McMaster  and  Bassett,  above  mentioned. 


CHAPTER  III 


CHAPTER  III 

Upheaval  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Crust 

1115-1805 
CONTEMPORARY    MOVEMENTS 

SEVERAL  nearly  contemporary  movements  were  making 
toward  religious  liberty  about  the  time  the  Christian 
denomination  arose,  and  the  movement  we  are  tracing 
contributed  to  a  larger  result.  T'ndoubtedly  the  achievement 
of  civil  liberty  had  its  influence  on  the  religious  life  of  the 
time.  Men  who  were  staunch  patriots  in  the  fight  for  inde- 
pendence, were  also  staunch  supporters  of  the  church,  in  most 
cases.  Coercion  in  fealty  to  another  country  was  distasteful, 
because  enforced  by  means  of  arms.  To  many  men  coercion 
in  religious  adherence,  support  or  belief  was  no  less  distasteful 
because  enforced  by  more  pacific  agencies.^  But  the  galling 
of  conscience  was  felt  quite  as  much  as  the  galling  of  taxation. 
The  Baptists. — The  position  of  Roger  Williams  and  the 
Baptists  in  New  England  is  well  understood  by  everybody. 
They  seemed  to  stand  for  religious  liberty,^  and  met  with  con- 
tinual repression  from  the  dominant  Puritanism.  Baptist 
preachers  suffered  more  or  less  persecution  and  disability  on 
account  of  their  preaching  and  doctrinal  views.^  Some  were 
treated  with  indignity,  were  chased  out  of  town  and  warned  not 
to  return.  While  the  Baptists  increased  only  slowly  at  first, 
under  the  repressive  and  intolerant  treatment  visited  upon 
them  they  increased  more  rapidly,  and  numbered  near  one 
hundred  thousand  in  the  year  1800.      Naturally  they  developed 

1  See  Ap.,  p.  370.  '  See  Ap.,  p.  370.  » See  Backus'  Works  :  A  Door 

Opened  for  E«^u;il  Christian  Liberty,  by  Isaac  Backus.  Philip  Freeman,  Boston, 
1783.  Account  of  disgraceful  treatment  of  Rev.  Richard  Lee,  who  was  invited  to 
preach  in  Hinsham,  in  May,  1782,  and  disposal  of  his  case  in  court.  And  also 
case  of  taxation  of  Baptists  for  support  of  parish  church.  People  sometimes  had 
to  mortgage  land  to  pay  minister  tax.    H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  220.    See  Ibid.,  p.  302. 


8G  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

and  exhibited  violent  hatred  also  toward  anything  that  smacked 
of  state  eeclesiasticism. 

The  Utiitarians. — About  1785  the  Episcopalian  congrega- 
tion of  King's  Chapel,  Boston,  was  influenced  by  James  Free- 
man to  embrace  what  were  then  stigmatized  as  Unitarian 
doctrines  and  sentiments,  and  to  form  an  independent  organ- 
ization. Two  years  later  Freeman  was  ordained  as  minister 
of  that  congregation.  In  1794  appeared  in  New  York  City 
John  Butler  preaching  tenets  quite  similar  to  those  declared 
in  King's  Chapel.  After  considerable  opposition  and  diffi- 
culty Butler  gained  a  hearing  in  that  city  for  views  embraced 
by  the  descriptive  term  "Unitarianism."  ^  By  the  beginning 
of  the  nineteenth  century  Unitarians  had  gained  many  adher- 
ents, and  clashed  of  course  with  Christians  adhering  to  Puritan 
or  Baptist  doctrines.  The  friction  with  Calvinist  Baptists 
was  pronounced.  Numerically  the  Unitarians  were  not  for- 
midable;  but  their  propagandism  was  pushed  by  learned  and 
eloquent  men,  and  produced  great  effect. 

Free  Baptists. — Dissension  arose  among  Baptists  in  New 
Hampshire  in  1779  over  Calvinistic  doctrines.  Benjamin 
Randall  was  the  storm  center,  and  in  spite  of  his  doctrinal 
obliquity  he  received  ordination  at  New  Durham  in  1780.  Like 
others  of  pronounced  convictions,  he  found  adherents,  and  they 
persistently  preached  doctrines  largely  at  variance  with  Cal- 
vinism. A  new  communion  arose  styled  "Free  Will  Baptists,"' 
the  name  indicating  where  they  laid  the  emphasis.  Their  first 
yearly  meeting  was  organized  in  1792,  and  they  were  numerous 
when  the  nineteenth  century  opened. 

The  Methodists. — Virginia  supported  the  Established 
Church  until  American  Independence  was  declared;  and  that 
church  bitterly  opposed  new  sects  entering  that  state.  Land- 
ing was  refused  the  first  shipload  of  Methodists  entering  a 
Virginian  port,  and  they  were  warned  to  go  elsewhere.^  Bap- 
tists bore  the  brunt  of  opposition,  suffering  as  severely  as  in 

iMcMaster  II,  p.  238.  ^  McTyeire,  p.  250. 


KE\'OLT  FKOM   METHODISM  87 

New  England. ^  I'resbytorianisiii  deflected  itself  into  western 
Virginia,  and  A'irginia  valley,  less  settled  sections,  thus  avoid- 
ing the  M'l-ath  of  the  State  Church.^  But  the  State  Church  went 
out  of  business  in  Virginia  when  the  Revolution  closed,  and  the 
clergy  left  the  country.  In  1785  Thomas  Jefferson  ardently 
labored  for  religious  as  well  as  civil  liberty.  Jefferson's 
views  were  branded  as  infidel ;  he  was  accused  of  espousing  and 
propagating  "French  philosophy;"  and  that  was  urged  against 
him  as  a  candidate  for  the  presidency,  while  his  infidelity  was 
roundly  execrated.^  The  total  effect,  however,  was  to  weaken 
traditional  religious  views,  and  to  make  possible  greater  free- 
dom of  religious  thought  and  practice. 

The  upheaval  of  the  ecclesiastical  crust  had  already  begun, 
therefore,  when  O'Kelly  and  Stone  and  Smith  leaped  into  the 
religious  arena  to  contend  for  liberty. 

REVOLT  FROM   EPISCOPAL  :\IETII0DISM 

Methodist  ministers  frequently  discussed  in  their  quar- 
terly meetings  and  annual  conferences  the  lack  of  ordinances 
or  sacraments  for  their  people,  these  means  of  grace  being 
monopolized  by  the  Established  Church.  Francis  Asbury, 
Wesley's  lieutenant  in  America,  had  given  the  preachers  no 
satisfaction,  and  practically  forbade  administration  of  ordi- 
nances except  under  his  particular  direction.  It  was  under- 
stood that  this  question  would  be  settled  in  1779,  when  Con- 
ference met  in  Fluvanna  County,  Virginia.  Asbury  took 
means,  however,  to  head  off  the  inevitable  demand  of  southern 
preachers  by  calling  a  conference  of  northern  preachers;  and 
yet  a  presbytery  of  four  was  appointed  by  the  Virginia  Con- 
ference to  administer  the  ordinances  and  authorize  others  so 
to  do,  Mr.  Asbury  alone  opposing,  and  eighteen  others  voting 
for  the  measure.  The  year  following  at  another  conference 
of  northern  men,  the  Virginia  ministers  were  disciplined  by 

'  McTyeire,    pp.    250,    251.  ^  Davidson,    Chap.    I.  '  i^g    charge   of 

infidelity  was  untrue,  according  to  Elson.       See  II,  p.  262. 


88  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

suspension  of  "all  their  administrations  for  one  year."  Of 
course  a  question  of  fellowship  between  the  disciplined  preach- 
ers and  the  rest  arose  at  annual  conference,  and  was  settled 
after  much  labor  by  the  practical  backing  down  of  all  except 
James  O'Kelly.  He  saw  that  the  trend  of  Methodism  was 
toward  a  hierarchy,  and  that  he  wished  to  avoid,  quoting  Mr. 
Wesley's  will  for  the  American  societies  as  follows:  "They 
are  now  at  full  liberty  simply  to  follow  the  Scriptures  and  the 
primitive  church.  And  we  judge  it  best  that  they  stand  fast 
in  the  liberty  wherewith  God  has  so  strangely  made  them  free."^ 
The  famous  Christmas  Conference  convened  in  Baltimore, 
Christmas  eve,  1784,  attended  by  sixty  out  of  a  possible  number 
of  eighty-three  preachers,  the  session  being  held  in  secret. 
The  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  then  and  there  formally 
organized  independently  of  the  Church  of  England.  Francis 
Asbury  was  ordained  deacon,  elder,  and  superintendent,  and 
thirteen  other  elders  were  also  ordained.  A  large  minority 
was  dissatisfied  with  the  form  of  church  government,  and  it  is 
a  little  singular  that  the  government  was  not  made  more  demo- 
cratic, seeing  that  popular  civil  government  had  recently  been 
established  in  America.  O'Kelly  went  to  his  North  Carolina 
and  Virginia  circuit  dissatisfied,  and  began  to  agitate  against 
episcopacy  among  Methodists.  He  was  now  a  presiding  elder, 
and  second  to  no  man  in  the  Conference  in  influence.  When 
Rev.  Richard  Whatcoat  was  proposed  for  bishop  in  1787, 
O'Kelly  openly  opposed  him,  alleging  that  free  Americans  did 
not  like  "European  heads"  in  the  Methodist  Church,  that 
Whatcoat's  age  was  prohibitive  of  efficiency,  that  he  was 
strange  to  America,  and  that  two  heads  would  i^roduce  two 
bodies;  but  protest  did  not  avail.  Asbury  about  this  time 
directed  preachers  to  address  him  as  bishop  and  was  censured 
by  Mr.  Wesley  on  this  account.-  A  year  later  Bishop  Asbury's 
proposal  for  a  General  Conference  was  voted  down  in  Virginia, 

1  MacClenny,     p.     48.         See    Ap.,     p.    371.  =  jiji^^    p     59  Lifg    ^^ 

Wesley,  Vol.  II,  pp.  285-286,  quoted  by  MacClenny. 


REVOLT  FROM    MICTHODISM  89 

but  his  couiu'il  idea  jji-evailed,  it  being  sti[)ulated,  however,  that 
all  t'ouucil  measures  must  be  uuauiniousiy  passed  aud  approved 
by  a  majority  of  preachers  in  the  district,  before  such  measures 
became  binding. 

From  this  time  forward  Methodist  history  is  occupied  with 
a  recital  of  di])lomatic  measures  by  wliich  Bishop  Asbury  finally 
gained  comi)lete  ascendency  and  bent  most  of  the  Conference  to 
his  will.  The  liberty-loving  i)atriot.  O'Kelly.  could  not  brook 
this  fastening  of  an  ecclesiastical  hierarchy  upon  the  American 
church.  When  the  ucav  constitution  was  offered  in  171)0,  Con- 
ference rejected  it,  and  immediately  Asbury  declared  all  min- 
isters expelled  without  appeal. 

The  famous  General  Conference  of  1702,  held  in  T'altimore. 
Maryland,  was  largely  attended  and  fraught  with  grave  conse- 
quences. For  years  O'Kelly  and  others  desired  such  a  confer- 
ence, hoping  that  it  might  check  the  Bishop's  power.  Francis 
Asbury  is  said  to  have  caucused  with  certain  preachers  for 
several  days  before  Conference  opened.  From  the  first  session 
matters  took  a  distinctly  Asburyan  trend.  During  the  pro- 
ceedings, James  O'Kelly  introduced  a  resolution  embodying 
the  "right  of  appeal,"  so  that  a  minister  thinking  himself 
aggrieved  by  the  Bishop's  appointment,  might  appeal  to  Con- 
ference and  secure  a  different  station.  After  long  debate,  by 
parliamentary  tactics  the  question  was  divided.  Debate  was 
protracted  to  wearisome  length,  and  finally  the  ''right  of 
appeal''  was  lost.^  Again,  while  the  revision  of  discipline  was 
going  on,  O'Kelly  arose  and  said :  ''Brethren,  hearken  unto  me. 
Put  away  all  other  books  and  forms,  and  let  this  (holding  up 
the  New  Testament)  be  the  only  criterion,  and  that  will  sat- 
isfy me."  This  was  opposed  and  lost.  The  next  morning 
O'Kelly  and  thirty  others  withdrew  from  Conference  and 
departed  for  home.  An  interested  observer,  while  watching 
their  departure,  first  uttered  the  slander  that  O'Kelly  denied 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity  and  had  left  because  he  feared  being 

1  MacClenny,  p.  90  ff. 


90  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

brought  to  trial.  Directly  or  indirectly  attempts  were  made 
toward  reconciliation.  O'Kelly  was  even  allowed  to  continue 
preaching  and  given  his  per  annum  as  theretofore.  But  soon 
he  was  "shut  out  of  doors/'  to  use  his  ow^n  expression,  and 
derogatory  reports  were  put  into  circulation  about  him.  Meet- 
ings of  his  followers  were  held  in  interest  of  re-union  with  the 
Methodists,  and  petitions  were  sent  to  Bishop  Asbury  asking 
for  some  amendments  in  church  government.  But  all  came  to 
naught.  To  the  final  appeal  of  the  aggrieved  brethren  the 
Bishop  answered :  "I  have  no  power  to  call  such  a  meeting  as 
you  wish ;  therefore,  if  five  hundred  preachers  would  come  on 
their  knees  before  me,  I  would  not  do  it."  ^  The  meeting 
asked  for  was  to  try  the  constitution  of  the  church  by  Scripture, 
and  to  amend  it  accordingly.  This  final  answer  was  received 
by  the  men  who  had  followed  O'Kelly,  in  a  meeting  held  at 
Manakintown,  Virginia,  called  for  the  special  purpose  of  hear- 
ing what  the  decision  should  be.  The  date  was  1793.^ 
O'Kelly's  own  vigorous  account  of  this  incident  runs  as  follows : 
''And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  Francis  (Asbury) 
came  on  to  conference  in  Petersburg,  where  he  met  with  our 
address;  but  Francis  being  (as  he  calls  it)  a  long-headed 
Englishman,  and  seeing  the  request  [that  the  proposed  form  of 
government  for  the  Methodist  church  be  examined  by  the  Scrip- 
ture, and  amended  according  to  the  Holy  Word]  so  generous, 
that  to  refuse  would  disgrace  him,  and  to  comply  would  undo 
him,  he  threw  it  into  chancery;  I  say  into  conference,  and  the 
result  was,  'he  has  no  power  to  call  a  meeting.'  Then  he 
denied  our  request.  It  was  very  cruel  in  the  preachers,  sup- 
posing Francis  (Asbury)  had  no  power,  for  them  to  suffer  it  to 
be.  The  reader  will  need  no  interpreter  to  tell  the  meaning 
of  such  conduct ;  it  can  speak  for  itself. 

^  MacClenny,    pp.    Ill,    112.  =  rpjjg   g^g^    Christian    Churcli    In    America, 

resulting  from  "the  movement  we  are  tracing,  was  organized  at  Manaliintown, 
Va.,  December  25,  170.3.— Chris.  Almanac,  18T6,  p.  36. 

The  oldest  church  in  the  denomination  is  that  in  Swansea,  Mass.,  first  gath- 
ered in  1680.  as  a  Baptist  Church,  reorganized  in  1690  as  Church  of  Christ  in 
Swansea ;  on  position  of  Six  Principle  Baptists  In  1725 ;  independent  and  on 
position  of  Christians  since  1819. 


KE\'OLT  FKOM   METUODISM  91 

''And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  twelfth  month  (of  1793)  about 
the  25th  day  of  the  month,  we  met  pursuant  to  adjournment 
at  Manakintown  to  receive  the  answer  from  Francis  (Asbury). 
Our  friends  made  report  that  his  answer  to  us  was,  'I  have  no 
power  to  call  such  a  meeting  as  you  wish;  therefore,  if  five 
hundred  preachers  would  come  on  their  knees  Itefore  me,  I 
would  not  do  it.' 

"The  answer  sounded  in  our  ears  like  the  voice  of  Reho- 
boani.  Therefore,  all  hope  of  union  was  sunk.  Nothing  re- 
mained but  'to  thy  tents,  O  Israel.'  The  door  to  negotiation 
was  shut.  Therefore,  a  separation,  or  a  slavish  submission, 
was  unavoidable;  and  we  unanimously  chose  the  former. 

"We  formed  our  ministers  on  an  ecjuality,  gave  the  lay 
members  a  balance  of  power  in  the  legislature,  and  left  the 
executive  business  in  the  church  collectively." 

Hope  of  reconciliation  having  faded,  the  conference  at 
Manakintown  then  proceeded  to  organize  on  the  democratic 
basis  just  indicated,  and  enthusiastically  took  up  the 
cause  of  religious  liberty.  "Republican  Methodist  Church" 
was  the  name  assumed.  A  thousand  people  withdrew 
from  the  Methodists  at  this  time  and  joined  the  new 
church. 

In  August,  of  1794,  the  second  conference  of  Republican 
Methodists  was  held  in  ^^urry  County,  Virginia.  The  work  of 
the  previous  meeting  had  not  been  satisfactory,  and  a  com- 
mittee appointed  to  formulate  a  church  government  in  this 
meeting  was  unable  to  reach  an  agreement.  It  was  suggested 
that  the  Bible  be  searched  for  light  on  the  subject  of  govern- 
ment. And  first  as  to  name:  What  name  should  the  new 
church  wear?  Rev.  Rice  Haggard,  standing  with  open  New 
Testament  in  hand,  said:  "Brethren,  this  is  a  sufficient  rule  of 
faith  and  practice,  and  by  it  we  are  told  that  the  disciples  were 
called  Christians,  and  I  move  that  henceforth  and  forever  the 
followers  of  Christ  be  known  as  Christians  simply."  This 
motion  carried  without  dissent.       Whereupon  Rev.  Mr.  Haf- 


92  THE  CHKISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

ferty,  of  North  Carolina,  made  a  motion  ''to  take  the  Bible 
itself  as  their  only  creed,  and  this  too  was  carried."  ^  Tradi- 
tion has  usually  attributed  both  the  above  suggestions  to  Rice 
Haggard. 

At  this  meeting  about  twenty  ministers  were  present, 
representing  the  constituency  of  one  thousand  people.  O'Kelly, 
Haggard,  Guirey,  R.  Barrett,  John  Robinson,  Jeter,  Reeves  and 
other  companions  then  began  a  vigorous  propagation  of  their 
views,  especially  in  southern  Virginia  and  contiguous  parts 
of  North  Carolina.  They  soon  had  a  following  of  several 
thousand.  Most  of  them  organized  into  simple  Christian 
churches  after  the  plan  previously  formulated.  The  Method- 
ists lost  3,070  communicants  that  year.  O'Kelly's  influence 
over  people  of  that  territory  was  very  great  and  predominated 
in  the  new  churches.  His  plan  was  to  have  a  "republican,  no- 
slavery,  glorious  church."  He  protested  against  "a  consoli- 
dated government  or  any  one  lord  or  archbishop  claiming  apos- 
tolic authority  declaring  to  have  the  keys.  Thus,  our  minis- 
ters have  raised  a  throne  for  bishops,  w^hich  being  a  human 
invention,  a  deviation  from  Christ  and  dear  Mr.  Wesley,  I 
cordially  refuse  to  touch. "^  Things  did  not  always  move 
smoothly  in  the  new  denomination,  and  divisions  later  arose 
over  baptism  and  kindred  topics. 

Readers  will  have  observed  that  the  O'Kelly  secession  from 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  was  due  solely  to  the  form  of 
government  adopted,  which  was  unsatisfactory  to  Virginia 
ministers.  The  story  of  heretical  doctrine,  and  of  O'Kelly's 
disappointment  at  not  being  made  bishop,  could  not  possibly 
be  true.  To  this  day  the  southern  section  of  the  Christian 
Church  preaches  Methodist  doctrines.  Had  Methodism  been 
launched  with  a  liberal  policy,  in  all  likelihood  no  Christian 
Church  would  have  been  formed  on  the  Southern  Atlantic 
slope. 

1  MacClenny,  pp.  116,  117.  =  McTyeire,  p.  410. 


QUITTING  THE  BAPTISTS  93 

JONES   QUITS   THE   BAPTISTS 

As  a  boy  and  yoiitli  Abner  Jones  came  under  Calvinist 
Baptist  teaching  and  influence.  Over  the  doctrine  of  election 
he  stumbled  when  but  a  lad;  but  the  matter  of  doctrines  he 
settled  with  himself  considerably  later  in  life.  However, 
about  1793  he  had  decided  that  Baptist  church  polity  was 
unscriptural,  as  was  the  name  "Baptist,"  and  had  decided  also 
to  be  called  simply  a  "Christian."  Having  mentioned  his  views 
to  some  of  the  brethren,  he  found  himself  entirely  out  of  fellow- 
ship, and  abandoned  that  church. 

He  had  seized  upon  the  casual  remark  of  a  Baptist 
preacher,  who  said  that  he  would  have  nothing  for  which  he 
could  not  find  authority  in  the  Bible,  and  put  it  to  work  with 
inexorable  fidelity.  While  teaching  school  he  had  time  to 
study  the  Bible,  and  declared  that  he  found  nothing  in  that 
book  about  church  covenants,  ordaining  and  installing  coun- 
cils, associations,  and  other  ecclesiastical  machinery,  and 
refused  to  have  anything  to  do  with  them.  It  will  be  noticed 
that  there  was  no  violent  wrenching  or  straining  of  his  relations 
with  the  Baptist  people;  but  that  by  a  natural  process  he 
reached  a  position  of  his  own  which  did  not  accord  with  what 
he  had  been  taught,  and  he  chose,  so  deep  were  his  convictions, 
to  stand  by  himself,  rather  than  compromise  his  conscience. 
For  several  years  he  was  practically  without  a  church. 

While  living  in  the  town  of  Lyndon,  Vt.,  practicing  medi- 
cine, he  was  providentially  led  to  preach,  and  then  to  quit  the 
medical  practice.  He  organized  a  "Christian  Churcir'  in 
Lyndon,  in  1801,  with  thirteen  members,  there  teginning  his 
work  as  a  religious  reformer.  The  next  year  he  formed  two 
churches  in  western  New  Hampshire,  one  at  Hanover,  the  other 
at  Piermont;  and  then  influenced  Rev.  Elias  Smith,  pastor  in 
Portsmouth,  to  drop  the  cumbersome  plans  of  organization 
used  there  and  to  adopt  the  simple  plan  that  Jones  had  been 
using.      From  this  time  forward  Jones  traveled  and  preached 


94  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

almost  incessantly,  first  at  all  the  points  near  Boston,  a  church 
being  organized  in  that  city,  then  in  those  near  by,  and  then  in 
ever-widening  circles,  into  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont, 
New  York,  Connecticut,  Khode  Island,  and  all  of  eastern 
Massachusetts. 

His  work  was  mainly  constructive,  and  less  given  to 
tearing'  down  the  work  of  other  denominations.  And  yet  the 
leaven  had  its  effect,  and  Jones  was  cordially  hated  by  devoted 
sectarians  whose  track  he  crossed. 

ELIAS    SMITH    BREAKS    WITH    THE    BAPTISTS 

Smith's  career,  as  already  detailed,  was  stormy ;  and  his 
break  with  the  Calvinist  Baptists  was  almost  violent.  He  too 
had  grown  up  under  Baptist  influences,  and  had  become  preju- 
diced against  some  of  their  practices  and  doctrines,  because 
they  had  given  him  personal  distress.  His  struggles  with 
hard  doctrines  had  been  soul-racking.  He  hated  infant  bap- 
tism; he  hated  the  prevalent  stereotyped  ecclesiasticism, 
whether  in  the  Baptist,  Congregational  or  Episcopalian 
churches;  he  could  not  preach  election,  although  he  had  men- 
tally subscribed  to  it;  he  was  in  the  habit  of  rupturing  his 
pastorates  suddenly  because  they  galled  him ;  he  found  solace 
in  brushing  aside  all  traditions,  forms,  dogmas,  and  such  like 
encumbrances,  and  resorting  to  the  Scriptures  for  docti'ine, 
polity  and  authority. 

In  1802  he  came  to  believe  that  Christ's  followers  should 
have  no  name  but  ''Christians,"  to  the  exclusion  of  all  popular 
sectarian  designations.  lie  was  one  of  the  dozen  Baptist 
ministers  in  New  Hampshire  who  determined  to  exercise  their 
liberty  in  exhortation  and  otherwise,  contrary  to  wishes  of 
the  older  men,  and  who  organized  ''The  Christian  Conference," 
agreeing  to  forsake  names,  doctrines,  and  practices  not  found 
in  the  New  Testament.  He  was  furthered  in  antagonism  to 
established  churches  and  ecclesiasticism  by  his  experience  when 
he  first  preached  in  Portsmouth.      The  ministers  of  that  city 


QUITTING  THE  BAPTISTS  95 

were  alarmed,  and  sent  vile  slanders  after  him,  temporarily 
shutting  the  doors  of  the  city  to  him.  His  hostess,  overriding 
her  craven  husband,  turned  her  guest  out  of  doors  at  eleven 
o'clock  one  cold  night.  He  concluded  that  the  ''clergy"  were 
the  anti-Christ  of  Scripture,  and  taking  his  pen  in  hand  he 
wrote  a  scathing  comparison  of  the  modern  clerg;\'  with  the 
early  apostles. 

Smith's  work  in  Portsmouth  grew.  Soon  a  great  revival 
broke  out,  and  in  March,  180.S,  he  organized  a  church  with  a 
few  less  than  twenty  members.  Then  he  composed  ''The  His- 
tory of  Anti-Christ,"  roundly  scoring  the  Episcopalian  clergy 
and  prayer-book.  Xever  did  the  old  mythical  heroes  attempt 
their  prodigious  labors  with  rashness  exceeding  Smith's 
assaults  upon  his  supposed  enemies.  He  was  hounded  from 
place  to  place.  The  Baptist  ministers  of  Boston  made  life  a 
burden  to  him;  a  mob  nearly  hooted  him  out  of  meeting  at 
Roxbury,  following  him  to  Boston  courthouse.  He  was  even 
forbidden  to  enter  Boston  churches.^ 

Then,  when  he  was  cited  to  answer  charges  before  the 
Woburn  Baptist  church,  of  which  he  was  a  member  and  had 
been  pastor,  he  answered  the  challenge  by  declaring  himself  no 
longer  a  member  of  that  church  because  of  their  unchristian 
treatment  of  him  (this  church  had  stripped  him  of  possessions), 
because  he  disbelieved  their  confession  of  faith,  because  their 
name  was  unscriptural,  and  because  of  their  anti-Christian 
fellowship  in  ''associations."  The  Gordian  knot  was  cut.  "If 
you  wish  to  know  what  denomination  I  belong  to,  I  tell  you,  as 
a  professor  of  religion  I  am  a  Christian;  as  a  preacher,  a 
minister  of  Christ;  calling  no  man  father  or  master;  holding 
as  abominable  in  the  sight  of  God  everything  highly  esteemed 
among  men,  such  as  Calvinism,  Arminianism,  free-wilUsin. 
Vnivcrsalism,  reverend,  parsons,  chaplains,  doctors  of  divinity, 
clergy,  hands,  surplices,  notes,  creeds,  covenants,  platforms. 
with  the  spirit  of  slander  which  those  who  hold  to  these  things 

>  Autob.,  p.  335. 


96  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

are  too  often  in  possession  of."^  This  was  a  tremendous  deliv- 
erance. He  then  published  seven  reasons  why  the  Association 
disfellowshiped  him,  and  ostracism  followed.  Traducers 
resorted  to  pamphlets,  and  Smith  answered  in  kind. 

Then  he  assailed  the  Methodist  hierarchy,  and  gained 
Methodist  ill  will.-  He  says  that  his  warfare  re-echoed  from 
one  end  of  the  country  to  the  other.  In  1806  he  abandoned 
close  communion.  Now  he  began  to  cut  into  the  Baptists  in 
another  fashion,  for  by  his  influence  Elder  Daniel  Hix,  of 
Dartmouth,  Mass.,  and  his  church  of  four  hundred  members 
(a  few  excepted)  left  the  Baptists  and  became  simply  Chris- 
tians. Smith  held  great  revivals  in  that  town,  in  New  Bed- 
ford, and  Fairhaven,  and  several  other  places  near.  At  York, 
Maine,  he  was  mobbed  because  of  an  ordination  sermon 
preached  there,  and  the  same  week  he  narrowly  escaped  a  mob 
at  Hampton,  N.  H. 

The  movement  under  Jones  and  Smith  gathered  headway, 
ministers  were  raised  up,  churches  organized,  the  new  unsec- 
•tarian  doctrines  were  everywhere  proclaimed,  until  the  whole 
amounted  to  a  veritable  upheaval  in  church  circles  in  New 
England,  forming  a  part  of  the  larger  movement  for  religious 
liberty  and  abolition  of  Calvinistic  tyranny.  Smith's  embrac- 
ing Universalism  only  tended  to  rip  open  the  crust  still  more. 

Smith  traveled  all  over  New  England,  and  into  the  South, 
and  results  like  those  recited  followed  him.  He  not  only  did 
some  excellent  constructive  work,  but  he  was  a  mighty  destruc- 
tive engine  also. 

m'nemar  heresy  case 

In  Kentucky  also,  revolution  was  on  the  way.  Presby- 
terianism  must  take  cognizance  of  the  irregularity  attending 
protracted  revivals  in  that  country.  The  proceedings  of 
revivalistic  preachers  were  irregular;  but  instead  of  attacking 
them  for  irregularities,  the  church  brought  them  to  book  for 

1  Antob.,  pp.  341,  342.  =  Ibid.,  p.  360. 


McNEMAR    HERESY    CASE  97 

heretical  doctrines.  In  the  Washington  Presbytery  were  lodged 
charges  against  McNemar,  which  were  later  for  some  cause 
dismissed;  but  the  Synod  of  Kentucky  took  a  hand  in  the  case, 
and  when  McNemar  and  his  companions  saw  how  he  would 
fare,  they  all  withdrew  from  the  synod  and  organized  the 
Springfield  I'resbytery.  Their  pastorates  were  declared  vacant. 
Going  back  to  their  parishes,  they  called  their  people  together 
and  told  them  the  circumstances,  with  the  result  that  hundreds 
left  the  Presbyterian  Church,  adhering  to  their  pastors.^  A 
great  meeting  was  held  at  Cane  Ridge,  at  which  Rice  Haggard 
was  present,  and  under  his  influence  the  Christian  Church  ^ 
in  Kentucky  was  organized.  The  old  Cane  Ridge  Church  fol- 
lowed Stone.  The  cause  grew  and  churches  multiplied.  David 
Purviance  was  ordained  to  the  ministry.  No  sooner  had  the 
new  church  begun  to  grow  than  Stone's  companions  in  the 
ministry  were  carried  away  by  the  Shakers,  leaving  him  and 
Purviance  practically  alone.  So  many  demands  were  made 
for  preaching  by  them  that  they  called  the  Concord  and  Cane 
Ridge  churches  together  to  select  assistant  preachers.  Andrew 
Ireland,  John  Purviance,  David  Kirkpatrick  and  William  Cald- 
well were  sent  out  as  traveling  evangelists,^  being  chosen  from 
a  large  number  of  talented  young  men  in  the  two  churches. 
They  were  the  first  evangelists  of  the  new  movement  in  Ken- 
tucky. By  the  end  of  1804,  there  were  churches  at  Turtle 
Creek,  Eagle  Creek,  Springfield,  Orangedale,  Salem,  Beaver 
Ci'eek.  Clear  Creek,  Indian  Creek,  (now  Point  Isabel),  and 
some  other  places  in  Ohio,  and  at  Cabin  Creek,  Flemingsburg, 
Concord,  Cane  Ridge,  Bethel,  Painted  Lick,  Shawney  Run  and 
a  few  other  places  in  Kentucky,  besides  congregations  in  Ten- 
nessee and  perhaps  a  few  in  Western  Pennsylvania.*  The  Ohio 
churches  owed  their  existence  quite  largely  to  Ireland  and  John 
Purviance,  and  the  Western  Pennsylvania  churches  were  prob- 
ably the  result  of  Caldwell's  labors. 

1  stone,  p.  49.  *  Davidson,  p.  198.  »  Purviance,  p.   59.  *  Mc- 

Nemar. pp.  72,  7.3. 


98  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

It  appears,  therefore,  that  the  Kentucky  movement  stirred 
all  Kentucky,  southern  Ohio,  the  Cumberland  country  in 
Tennessee,  and  the  western  borders  of  Pennsylvania.  After 
the  secession,  Stone  had  a  pamphlet  battle  with  Dr.  J.  P. 
Campbell  and  others  which  attracted  great  attention  and  occa- 
sioned intense  acerbity.^  Before  peace  reigned,  the  Presbyterian 
Church  government  and  confession  of  faith  were  pretty  thor- 
oughly gone  over  and  the  position  of  Stone  and  his  co-adjutors 
was  thoroughly  published  and  misunderstood.  Such  was  the 
upheaval  in  Kentucky. 

IDEAS   UNDERLYING   THE  UPHEAVAL 

We  may  here  pause  to  gather  into  a  few  sentences  the 
ideas  involved  in  the  upheaval  attending  the  movement  that 
resulted  in  a  new  church.  James  O'Kelly  wanted  a  church 
without  episcopacy,  because  it  comported  better  with  repub- 
licanism. He  opposed  ecclesiastical  aristocracy.  But  if 
bishops  must  be,  then  he  would  eliminate  their  absolutism. 
He  did  not  revolt  against  the  dogmas  of  Methodism,  but  he  had 
thought  the  matter  through  and  formed  his  own  ideas  on  church 
government. 

In  New  England,  Jones  hoped  to  reform  Baptist  Church 
discipline."  In  his  view,  ''Baptist"  was  an  unscriptural  term 
and  should  be  replaced  by  the  name  ''Christian."  Baptist 
methods  of  organizing  churches  and  forming  associations  were 
unscriptural  and  should  be  abandoned  for  primitive  usage.^ 
He  had  no  serious  diflflculty  with  dogmas  except  that  of  elec- 
tion, until  years  after  his  career  began.*  He  gives  us  the  key 
to  his  mental  processes  which  led  hundreds  to  break  with  Cal- 
vinism, His  whole  philosophy  was  bound  up  in  this  sentence: 
"I  will  have  nothing  but  for  which  I  can  bring.  Thus  saith  the 
Lord,  and.  Thus  it  is  written." 

Smith  carefully  rehearsed  his  theological  struggles  in  his 
autobiography.       They  began  when  he  was  a  lad.       He  too. 

»  Davidson,  p.  203.  =  Jones,  p.  37.  '  Ibid.,  p.  28.  *  Ibid.,  p.  37. 


UNDERLYING  IDEAS  99 

acted  upon  the  principle  just  quoted,  which  he  heard  from  the 
lips  of  the  same  Baptist  minister.  He  saw  a  difference  between 
Biblical  and  theological  teaching,  and  his  mind  suffered  agonies 
over  it.  Then  he  rejected  the  name  "Baptist"  and  called  him- 
self simply  a  "Christian."  Under  Abner  Jones'  tuition,  Smith 
and  his  Portsmouth  church  decided  to  abandon  all  former 
statements  and  creeds  and  stand  by  the  Bible  alone.  He 
became  a  violent  enemy  of  everything  connected  with  the  Estab- 
lished Church,  priestcraft,  and  religious  tyranny.  He  espe- 
cially scorned  the  support  of  churches  by  public  taxation.^ 

Stone  and  his  companions  in  Kentucky  revolted  primarily 
at  ecclesiastical  tyranny.-  Then  they  objected  to  confessions 
of  faith  and  asserted  their  liberty  in  interpreting  the  Script- 
ures, in  proclaiming  free  salvation,  and  in  governing  the 
church.^  They  almost  immediately  followed  Haggard's 
formulary  acknowledging  Christ  as  the  only  head  of  the  church, 
the  Bible  as  a  sufficient  rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  the  New 
Testament  as  the  only  needed  model  of  organization  and  disci- 
pline. Stone  gives  us  the  key  to  his  revolt  against  dogma. 
When  he  received  licensure  from  the  Orange  Presbytery  in 
North  Carolina,  the  venerable  father  who  addressed  the  candi- 
dates presented  each  with  a  Bible,  saying:  "Go  ye  into  all  the 
world  and  preach  the  gospel  to  every  creature."  This  incident 
profoundly  affected  Stone's  future  career.  He  preached  from 
that  text  his  first  sermon  after  returning  from  the  great  revival 
in  southern  Kentucky,  emphasizing  the  "universality  of  the 
gospel  and  faith  as  the  condition  of  salvation."  *  As  already 
noted,  election  and  reprobation  found  no  place  in  the  great 
revival.  The  confession  of  faith  was  forgotten,  but  the  Bible 
was  much  in  evidence;  hence  the  charge  of  the  Cabin  Creek 
congregation  against  their  pastor,  Richard  McNemar,  "that  he 
would  be  bound  by  no  system  but  the  Bible;  and  that  he  believed 
that  systems  were  detrimental  to  the  life  and  power  of  relig- 

1  See    Ap.,    p.    371.  ^  Stone,    p.    168.  » Ibid.,    pp.    170,    174,    175. 

« Ibid.,  p.  36. 


100  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

ion."  '^He  has  expressly  declared  at  several  times  that  Christ 
has  preached  salvation  for  all  the  human  race  without  dis- 
tinction." ^ 

Purviance  was  brought  up  a  Presbyterian,  learned  both 
catechisms  and  believed  them.  He  was  ruling-elder  in  the 
Cane  Ridge  Church,  and  experienced  no  diflSculty  with  doctrine 
until  near  the  time  of  the  great  revival,  when  he  was  distressed 
about  election.  Then  he  was  licensed  to  preach  and  began  to 
study  the  Bible.  He  soon  found  that  the  Bible  and  theologj' 
did  not  tally.  Even  Calvinistic  authors  sometimes  held  forth 
free  salvation.      This  couplet  took  hold  of  his  mind  : 

"Gospel  offers  but  a  sham  we  make 
If  ev'ry  sinner  has  not  right  to  take." 

Purviance  remarks :  "Here  I  commenced  my  exit  from  Cal- 
vinism, and  have  never  desired  to  return."  -  His  trial  sermon 
before  the  Presbytery  was  unsatisfactory,  being  too  full  of  free 
salvation,  and  his  ordination  was  held  in  suspense.  Then 
came  the  upheaval. 

William  Kinkade  did  not  ally  himself  with  the  new  church 
until  three  years  after  Cane  Ridge  revival.  We  have  already 
seen  how  he  reached  his  position  by  absolutely  independent 
study  of  Scripture.  He  called  himself  simply  a  Christian  and 
refused  Calvinistic  doctrines. 

Such  were  the  ideas  and  such  the  movement  that  upheaved 
the  crust  of  the  prevalent  church  and  religious  life. 

»  stone,  p.  151.  =  Purviance,  p.  139. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  UI 

See  works  cited  at  the  end  of  Chapters  I  and  II. 

History  of  the  Christian  Church  from  its  Establishment  by  Christ 
to  A.  D.  1870,  by  N.  Summerbell,  D.  D.  Published  at  the  office  of  the 
Christian  Pulpit,  Cincinnati,  Ohio.      1873. 

History  of  All  the  Religious  Denominations  in  the  United  States. 
John  Winebrenner,  V.  D.  M.,  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  1848. 


CHAPTER  IV 


CHAPTER  IV 

Period  of  Sporadic  Growth 

1805-1818 

THIS  new  movement  passed  through  a  decade  of  growth 
that  was  })henomenal  in  some  aspects,  and  the  journals 
of  early  ministers  are  extremely  interesting,  abounding, 
as  they  do,  in  that  spontaneity  which  was  so  characteristic  of 
their  ministry. 

CHARACTERISTICS  OF  THE  MOVEMENT 

No  organization  yet  appeared  in  the  North  and  West,  and 
but  the  simplest  in  the  South.  Like  seeds  borne  far  away  and 
widely  scattered  by  the  wind,  germinating  and  springing  up  in 
most  out-of-the-way  places,  the  seeds  of  this  new  movement  for 
religious  liberty  were  quickly  and  widely  disseminated,  and 
appeared  most  unexpectedly.      It  was  a  truly  sporadic  growth. 

Because  it  was  a  movement  among  the  common  people  it 
was  tremendously  popular.  Many  ministers  came  from  among 
the  people,  and  lacked  scholastic  training.  Often  they  preju- 
diced their  hearers  against  an  educated  ministry,  and  against 
orderly  proceedings.  Coming  from  the  common  walks  of  life, 
educated  to  mediocrity  or  little  above  it,  and  yet  possessed  of 
unquestioned  ability,  they  appealed  powerfully  to  their  fellows 
because  they  spoke  the  language  of  the  average  heart  and 
voiced  a  common  feeling. 

This  preaching  was  powerfully  emotional  and  thoroughly 
spontaneous.  A  single  text-book,  the  Bible,  provided  preach- 
ers with  their  whole  stock  in  trade.  It  must  be  confessed  that 
in  these  latter  days  we  have  very  superficial  ideas  about  the 
sermon  i)reparation  of  a  hundred  years  ago.  Given  a  man 
dead  in  earnest,  with  a  book  like  the  Bible,  viewed  as  it  was  in 


104  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

those  daj's,  a  book  read  aud  re-read  and  largely  ommitted  to 
memory;  and  given  a  man  whose  mind,  thoroughly  awakened, 
was  charged  to  the  brim  with  Scripture,  and  solemnized  by 
prayer-vigil  and  lonely  meditation ;  and  given  the  motion  and 
fire  of  delivery  prevalent  in  those  days,  and  you  have  a  gener- 
ator of  tremendous  sensations  and  impressions.  The  sermon 
might  be  fanciful  and  extemporaneous,  but  it  could  not  be 
unprepared.  The  exegesis  was  faulty  no  doubt,  but  the  appli- 
cation was  direct  and  pointed.  Many  a  sermon  abounded  in 
oratorical  grace  and  fascination,  and  contained  a  residuum 
of  homely  truth  that  was  wholesome  and  palatable.  Notes 
were  tabooed  and  regarded  as  a  stigma.  Fortunately  the 
Scriptures  are  mostly  plain  and  comprehensible,  and  early 
preachers  of  the  Christians  were  clearly  heralds  of  Gospel 
truth.  The  old  men  who  listened  to  preachers  of  a  hundred 
years  ago  have  carefully  declared  for  our  benefit  that  the 
preaching  was  singularly  Scriptural  and  evangelical,  and  rarely 
polemical.  Brochure  and  pamphlet  and  essay  might  clangor 
with  theological  warfare ;  but  the  preacher  was  singularly  alive 
to  his  duty  in  declaring  the  Gospel. 

The  movement  was  at  first  almost  without  meeting-houses 
or  property.  In  the  South  O'Kelly's  followers  soon  began  to 
erect  chapels,  a  few  were  built  in  New^  England,  and  a  few  in 
Kentucky.  But  oftener  a  school-house  or  private  dwelling 
afforded  place  for  meeting  in  cold  or  inclement  weather.  When 
suitable  weather  allowed,  great  concourses  of  people  gathered 
in  barns,  in  groves,  beside  the  rude  highway,  and  sometimes, 
to  escape  molestation,  even  went  to  the  plowed  field.  On 
account  of  their  revivalistic  gifts  the  leading  ministers  awak- 
ened great  revivals  and  often  reaped  great  harvests  of  converts 
for  other  churches.  But  whatever  else  may  be  said  of  the 
preachers,  they  went  to  the  people,  met  them  in  homeliest  of 
meeting  places,  and  moved  them  to  the  core.  Thus  the  move- 
ment w^ent  from  settlement  to  settlement,  neighborhood  to 
neighborhood,  and  town  to  town.      The  people  gave  heed. 


SPORADIC  GROWTH  105 

But  there  were  persecutions  withal.  Ministers  were 
treated  with  intli<inity ;  lioodlunis  disturbed  and  broke  up  serv- 
ices; property  was  sonietiines  destroyed;  adherents  of  tlie  new 
church  were  under  social  disability;  professional  men  even 
found  it  sometimes  necessary  to  witlidraw  from  the  new  fellow- 
ship. At  rare  intervals,  and  especially  in  cities,  mob  violence 
was  resorted  to  in  routing  the  Christians.  The  party  of  relig- 
ious liberty  was  attacked  in  sermon  and  j)amphlet,  and  made  a 
butt  of  ridicule.  And  yet  in  this  there  was  nothing  especially 
novel. 

Having  broken  away  from  ecclesiasticism,  the  early  preach- 
ers would  tolerate  no  approach  to  ways  of  the  abhorred  creed 
sects.  Religious  worship  was  severely  simple.  A  hymnology 
was  developed  for  the  movement.  Musical  instruments  were 
generally  frowned  upon.  Formalism  and  ritual  were  avoided, 
and  every  congregation  was  a  law  to  itself.  Lusty  singing, 
plain  Scripture  reading,  earnest  extempore  prayer,  and  an 
extempore  sermon  sufficed  as  spiritual  ])abulum.  On  the  Sab- 
bath three  services  a  day  were  not  uncommon.  Any  brother 
who  thought  himself  called  to  preach  was  allowed  to  ''im- 
prove," or  exhort.  Hence  a  large  number  of  young  preachers 
was  soon  rallied  to  the  movement. 

An  institution  grew  up  in  the  north  that  still  persists  in 
many  churches.  About  1812  the  ''monthly  meeting"  was  insti- 
tuted in  A'^ermont,  a  combination  of  business  and  devotional 
services;  at  which  time  the  church's  business  was  transacted, 
new  members  were  voted  in  after  relating  their  experience 
and  giving  evidence  of  fitness  for  church  membership,  and  the 
people  present  spoke  of  their  experience  or  progress  during  the 
month  past.  Such  meetings  were  often  largely  attended  and 
thoroughly  revivalistic.  They  were  common  in  New  England 
and  New  York,  and  perhaps  other  parts. 

A  peculiarly  New  England  kink  was  the  dual  organization 
of  church  and  society.  The  latter  existed  for  sake  of  the 
former,  to  support  preaching,  and  usually  controlled  the  church 


106  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

property.  Anybody  who  wished,  provided  he  were  of  suitable 
age  and  character,  might  join  the  society  and  help  support 
preaching.  But  only  Christians  belonged  to  the  church.  It 
will  be  seen  how  a  church  might  get  at  variance  with  the  soci- 
ety, and  find  itself  without  a  meeting  place. 

Prayer  and  social  meetings  were  common  everywhere,  and 
most  frequently  held  in  private  homes.  Gradually  the  weekly 
prayer  service  came  to  occupy  a  certain  evening  every  week. 
The  greatest  freedom  of  song,  exhortation,  relating  of  experi- 
ence, and  reminiscence  was  allowed ;  the  social  meeting  was  a 
decided  power  and  success. 

Of  church  organization  there  were  but  few  elements.  Be- 
lieving that  prevalent  methods  of  organizing  churches  were  un- 
scriptural,  the  brethren  in  the  East  were  accustomed  to  vote 
to  consider  themselves  a  church  of  Christ,  and  new  members 
were  later  received  without  doctrinal  test  or  examination. 
Much  the  same  procedure  obtained  in  the  West.  Almost  no 
bar  hindered  am^  man  who  came  under  the  spell  and  desired 
to  join  the  church.  Whatever  they  read  in  the  New  Testament 
of  organization,  elder,  deacon,  and  discipline,  sufficed.  Indeed, 
the  new  denomination  hoped  to  restore  primitive  Christianity, 
both  doctrine  and  polity. 

Furthermore,  the  early  ministry  was  almost  wholly  itin- 
erant and  evangelistic.  Some  men  were  ordained  as  "travel- 
ing evangelists,"  ^  it  being  understood  that  they  would  not  seek 
settled  pastorates.  Men  who  were  settled  over  churches  never- 
theless made  many  and  long  journeys  preaching  and  organizing 
churches.  A  "hireling  ministry,"  that  is,  a  ministry  settled 
and  enjoying  a  stipulated  salary,  was  especially  displeasing  to 
the  northern  section  of  the  movement.  Were  not  the  Apostles 
and  their  successors  errant  heralds  of  the  cross  ?  Would  they 
have  settled  comfortably  with  churches,  when  men  all  around 
them  and  farther  away  were  unconverted,  and  pitching  into  a 
Christless  eternity? 

'Like  Ellas   Smith. 


SPORADIC  GROWTH  107 

A  most  interesting  account  of  the  labors  of  Rev.  Daniel 
Roberts  in  southeastern  Indiana,  in  those  early  days,  sheds 
light  on  the  ministerial  customs.  It  should  be  remembered 
that  Mr.  Roberts  was  a  contemporary  of  Barton  W.  Stone, 
David  Purviance,  Nathan  Worley,  and  such  stalwarts.  ''Such 
a  thing  as  a  stationed  preacher  over  or  in  one  church  was 
utterly  unknown.  It  was  as  natural  for  preachers  to  be  trav- 
eling as  it  was  for  the  birds  to  be  flying.  In  our  thoughts  in 
those  days  preaching  and  traveling  were  inseparably  associated. 
The  country  was  new.  It  was  only  a  day's  journey  to  the 
Indian  towns.  The  white  settlements  were  separated  by  con- 
siderable stretches  of  wilderness,  and  not  very  large  when  they 
were  reached.      The  churches  were  small  and  few  in  number."  ' 

Very  patent  are  the  results  of  such  an  itinerancy.  Even 
remote  settlements  and  sparsely  settled  districts,  country  as 
well  as  town,  heard  the  greatest  revivalists  and  strongest 
preachers.  Churches  sprang  up  everywhere  and  throve  for  a 
time ;  but  those  churches  nearest  the  beaten  tracks  and  oftenest 
visited  were  likely  to  be  most  thrifty,  while  those  visited  at  rare 
intervals  languished.  It  followed  too  that  the  whole  new 
movement  was  intensely  Biblical.  Preachers  brought  the 
Bible  forward  in  a  most  effective  way.  Creeds  were  denied, 
and  ecclesiastical  procedures  thrown  out  of  court.  People 
were  set  to  reading  and  studying  the  Bible,  and  church  polity 
was  extracted  from  the  New  Testament.  Apostolic  and  subse- 
quent history  was  ransacked.  The  people  who  soon  were 
known  as  the  "Christians"  have  never  received  due  credit  for 
their  part  in  exalting  the  Bible  to  po])ular  study. 

Ordinations  were  conducted  with  extreme  simplicity.  John 
Rand,  a  young  man  raised  up  under  the  preaching  of  Abner 
Jones  and  Elias  Smith,  was  by  them  ordained,  the  first  recruit 
to  the  New  England  ministry.  David  Purviance  held  like 
distinction  in  the  west.      Two  or  more  ministers  shared  the 

^  Memorial  Address  on  the  Life  and  Character  of  Elder  Daniel  Roberts,  by 
Rev.  e.  L.  Jameson,  D.  D.,  1882.       P.  G. 


108  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

ordination  service.  A  sermon  appropriate  for  the  occasion 
was  followed  by  an  ordaining  prayer  and  imposition  of  hands. 
Gradually  and  later  other  parts  were  added  to  the  service. 

No  delegated  conventions  or  conferences  were  held  during 
the  sporadic  period.  "Elders'  conferences"  and  "general  meet- 
ings" were  frequent,  the  former  especially  for  ministers,  always 
informal  and  merely  conferential.  Notices  were  published 
for  general  meetings  and  everybody  invited  who  cared  to 
attend.  Almost  nothing  of  a  business  nature  was  attempted. 
At  these  general  meetings  it  was  quite  customary  to  introduce 
new  ministers  and  candidates  to  public  attention.  Visitors 
from  a  distance  were  sought,  and  ministers  frequently  traveled 
long  journeys  in  severe  weather  for  sake  of  fellowship  at  a 
general  meeting. 

And  so  the  sporadic  growth  continued  for  a  series  of  years. 
Perhaps  we  should  pause  here  and  give  a  categorical  answer 
to  the  question,  How  did  the  three  sections  of  Christians  become 
united?  They  were  first  organized  in  Virginia,  the  polity 
being  largely  shaped  by  suggestions  of  two  men.  Haggard  and 
Haifert}'.  Then  men  like  Haggard  and  Clement  Nance  jour- 
neyed westward  into  Kentucky.  Haggard  was  present  in 
Kentucky,  and  suggested  to  Stone  and  the  brethren  at  Cane 
Ridge,  when  the  Spring-field  Presbytery  was  dissolved,  that 
they  should  organize  as  the  Christian  Church  had  organized  in 
Virginia.  This  was  done.  From  this  time  forward,  ministers 
passed  back  and  forth  between  Virginia  and  North  Carolina 
and  Kentucky.  From  Kentucky  ministers  went  northward 
into  Ohio  and  western  Pennsylvania;  from  Virginia  they  went 
northward  into  Maryland  and  eastern  Pennsylvania.  From 
New  England  and  New  York  ministers  journeyed  southward 
into  New  Jersey,  southeastern  and  northern  Pennsylvania. 
Some,  like  Elias  Smith  and  Frederick  Plummer,  visited  Vir- 
ginia. At  a  little  later  period  fraternal  messengers  were 
exchanged    between    the    sections.^        At    this    point   another 

'  See  Ap.,  p.  371. 


SPORADIC  GROWTH  109 

agency  arose  to  unite  the  whole  movement.  Tn  the  thriving 
town  of  Portsmonth,  tlien  the  largest  and  most  important  town 
of  New  Hampshire,  lived  Kev.  Elias  Smith,  pastor  of  a  rapidly- 
increasing  congregation.  In  the  sketch  of  Smith's  life  an 
account  has  been  given  of  his  meeting  with  Hon.  Isaac  Wilber, 
of  Rhode  Island,  and  the  talk  about  establishment  of  a  relig- 
ious newspaper.  Smith  generously  attributes  the  newspaper 
idea  to  the  congressman;  but  since  he  was  already  in  the 
publishing  business  he  could  hardly  have  failed  to  conceive 
the  paper  idea  himself.  Wilber  had  proffered  financial 
assistance.  These  overtures  Smith  evaded,  resolving  however, 
to  establish  a  paper  under  his  own  free  editorial  management. 
This  he  did,  and  September  1,  1808,  the  first  number  of  the 
first  religious  newspaper  in  the  world  was  issued  from 
Smith's  residence  in  Portsmouth,  near  Jeffrey  Street.  Mr. 
Wilber  had  expresed  the  opinion  that  some  one  ought  to  declare 
the  religious  liberty  compatible  with  true  civil  liberty.  And 
so  Smith  espoused  the  cause  of  religious  liberty  and  the  Herald 
of  Gospel  Liherty  was  its  exponent  while  Smith  issued  the 
journal.  Moreover,  it  was  a  religious  newspaper,  its  editor 
proving  an  able,  brilliant  journalist,  impetuous  in  fighting 
error  and  a  naturally  versatile  expounder  of  religious  liberty, 
and  what  seemed  to  him  New  Testament  Christianity. 

That  Smith  started  a  vigorous  periodical  is  evidenced  by 
its  absorption  since  then  of  no  less  than  a  dozen  periodicals 
and  an  unbroken  career  of  one  hundred  years.  The  paper 
still  continues  to  champion  the  early  position  of  the  Christians, 
and  is  published  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  owned  by  The  Christian 
Publishing  Association,  a  corporation  representing  the  denom- 
inational publishing  interests.  In  the  Appendix  is  a  graphic 
history  of  the  Herald  telling  the  story  quite  completely.^ 

While  the  Herald's  circulation  did  not  meet  its  founder's 
hope,  yet  the  paper  went  into  nearly  every  state  of  the  Union. 
Two  hundred  seventy-four  Subscribers  received  the  first  issue; 

1  See  Ap.,  opposite  p.  372. 


110  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

seven  years  later  the  circulation  was  between  fourteen  and 
fifteen  hundred.  The  very  earliest  issues  reached  Virginia, 
North  Carolina,  Kentucky,  Ohio  and  Indiana.  Inquiries  from 
South  ^  and  West  elicited  information  that  the  movement  for 
religious  liberty,  with  identical  spirit  and  practice,  existed  in 
those  states  and  New  England.  Proposals  for  a  union  were 
made  and  accepted,  and  the  three  separate  bodies  of  people 
calling  themselves  simply  "Christians"  were  cemented  by 
another  bond.  This  was  the  foremost  achievement  of  the 
Herald  during  this  period.^ 

WHERE   THE   SEED   TOOK    ROOT 

In  that  journal  appeared  correspondence  and  news  from 
many  sections,  indicating  how  the  movement  was  spreading. 
Churches  in  Virginia  and  North  Carolina  were  multiplying 
rapidly.  O'Kelly  and  Haggard  and  their  brother  ministers 
were  very  active.  Young  ministers  added  new  strength  to  the 
cause.  Some  preachers  went  to  Georgia  and  Alabama.  Mean- 
time Frederick  Plummer,  Elias  Smith,  John  P.  Gray  and  other 
northern  men  entered  northern  Virginia,  held  revivals  and 
established  churches,  some  of  which  did  not  long  survive. 
About  1810  Plummer  visited  Upperville  and  Fairfax  and  other 
places  in  that  vicinity.^  Gray  labored  in  Fairfax,  Shenandoah 
and  Caroline  Counties  the  same  year.  There  are  many  records 
of  baptisms  in  the  historical  Shenandoah  River.  Gray 
preached  in  Providence,  Smithfield,  Portsmouth.  Norfolk  and 
other  towns.*  Elias  Smith  visited  much  of  the  same  territory 
a  year  later  and  left  the  country  in  an  uproar  over  theological 
doctrines.'  The  year  after  this  Joseph  Thomas,  the  "White 
Pilgrim"  (so  named  from  his  white  clothing),  held  revivals  at 
Frederick,  New  Town  and  other  places.** 

The  year  1811  was  one  of  great  religious  awakening  in 
Georgia.      John  P.  Gray  went  to  Georgia  with  others  and  held 

iH.  G.  L.,  Vol.   I,  p.  43.  =See  Ap..  p.  372.  ^  H.  G.  L..  Vol.  I.  pp. 

168    173.  "  Ibid..   Vol.   V,  p.   473.  ^  Ibid.,   Vol.   IV,  p.   355.  «  Ibid., 

Vol.  IV,  pp.  371,  383. 


WHERE  THE  SEED  TOOK  ROOT  lit 

remarkable  revivals.^  From  Georgia  the  reformers  went  to 
Alabama.      We  have  a  little  hint  of  their  progress  there. 

In  Kentucky  from  1804  onward  the  Christians  had  been 
making  rapid  headway.  In  1809  great  reformations  and 
thousands  of  converts  were  reported,-  which  meant  large 
accessions  to  Christian  churches.  A  year  later  several  Bap- 
tist churches  in  Christian  County  changed  denominational 
relationship  and  theological  position  and  joined  the  Christians.^ 
There  were  in  Kentucky  several  Baptist  churches  standing 
practically  on  the  position  represented  by  the  Christians,  but 
still  clinging  to  their  Baptist  name  and  manner  of  association, 
and  calling  themselves  "Separate  Baptists."  The  Elkhorn 
Association  of  Separate  Baptists  allied  itself  with  the  new 
movement  in  1811.*  Plain  Christian  churches  existed  in 
Fleming  County,  as  well  as  in  those  counties  where  Stone,  Pur- 
viance,  Rice  Haggard  and  the  earliest  leaders  labored.^ 

Of  the  original  seceders  from  the  Presbyterians  in  Ken- 
tucky, McXemar,  Dunlavy  and  Thompson  preached  in  southern 
Ohio.  Andrew  Ireland,  John  Purviance  and  Reuben  Dooly 
also  went  to  Ohio.  Stone  made  trips  to  that  country,  and  in 
1807  I'urviance  moved  to  Preble  County.  Ohio,  preaching  and 
traveling  there  and  in  Indiana.''  Churches  began  to  multiply 
in  Ohio.  About  1811  an  Association  of  the  ''Separate  Bap- 
tists" in  Meigs  County  quit  its  name  and  creed,  and  joined  the 
Christians.'^ 

The  reformers  went  to  Tennessee  and  established  churches. 
Stone  and  others  journeyed  thither.®  In  a  letter  to  the 
Herald,  dated  in  1811,  Joseph  Thomas  described  the  cause  in 
Tennessee  as  very  prosperous,"  as  it  was  in  Kentucky,  Ohio, 
and  Indiana  territory. 

Romance  attaches  to  the  story  of  the  movement's  advent 

'  II.  G.  L..  Vol.  IV,  p.  .S50,  V.  p.  45--).  A  few  names  of  ministers  then  active 
in  Geor>;ia  have  been  preserved,  viz..  Murrill  Pledger,  P.  L.  .Taclvson,  John  P. 
Purdue,  Joseph  Echolls,  Thomas  Jordan.  George  L.  Smith,  Jacob  Callahan, 
Coleman     Pendleton    and    Isaac    A.     Parker.  ^  Ibid.,    Vol.     I.    pp.     40,    74. 

3  Ibid..     Vol.     I.     p.     150.  *  Ibid..     Vol.     IV,     p.     .363.  "  Ibid..     Vol.     IV. 

p.    403.  '  Purviance.    pp.    49.    .59,    66.  '  Stone,    pp.    70-72.  »  Ibid., 

p.  67.  »H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  294. 


112  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

in  Indiana.  Elder  Clement  Nance,  one  of  the  men  who,  after 
O'Kelly,  withdrew  from  the  early  Methodists,  moved  to  Indiana 
Territory  in  1805,  settling  near  the  Ohio  River.  That  year  he 
organized  a  Christian  church  in  Clark  County,  and  other  con- 
gregations sprang  up  in  that  sparsely  settled  country.^  Un- 
usual religious  interest  developed.  Within  seven  years  Nance 
reported  four  ministers  and  five  churches  in  that  part  of  the 
Territory.  Other  ministers  entered  from  Ohio  and  Kentucky 
and  established  thriving  churches. 

Names  of  twenty  or  more  of  the  early  ministers  in  Indiana 
have  come  down  to  us,  without,  however,  details  of  their  labors. 
Daniel  Roberts,  of  Maine,  emigrated  to  the  west  in  1817,  stop- 
ping first  at  Cincinnati,  after  floating  down  the  Ohio  River 
from  Pittsburgh.  He  eventually  settled  in  Dearborn  County, 
Indiana,  a  little  west  of  Cincinnati,  preached  in  that  county,  in 
Franklin,  Ohio,  Switzerland  and  Jefl'erson  Counties.  Churches 
were  planted  in  the  eastern  side  of  Indiana  as  far  north  as 
Wayne  County,  then  southward  and  across  the  southern  end 
of  Indiana,  and  northward  on  the  west  side  to  Sullivan  County. 
Settlements  were  sparse,  confined  chiefly  to  watercourses. 
Elder  Roberts  traveled  in  southern  Indiana,  southwestern  Ohio, 
and  into  central  Kentucky.  More  than  two  hundred  churches 
were  organized  by  him.^ 

The  labors  and  travels  of  Abner  Jones  and  Elias  Smith  in 
New  England  have  already  been  mentioned.  Churches  sprang 
up  in  every  New  England  state.  The  movement  reached  north- 
ward into  Maine.  Young  Mark  Fernald  became  a  revivalist 
of  power  in  that  state.  Ephraim  Stinchfield  and  others  were 
journeying  and  evangelizing.  The  Christians'  movement 
reached  into  New  Brunswick,  Rev.  Samuel  Nutt  being  the  chief 
apostle  there,  and  on  into  Nova  Scotia.^  Frederick  Plummer, 
then  a  young  man  of  remarkable  gifts,  John  Rand,  Uriah 
Smith,  brother  of  Elias,  and  many  others,  traversed  New 
Hampshire  and  Vermont.      The  latter  state  was  but  sparsely 

*  H    G    L.,  Vol.  V,  p.  423.  -  Memorial  Address  by  H.  L.  Jameson,  D.  D., 

before  quoted.       P.  6  ff.  '  Smith,  p.  364, 


WHERE  THE   SEED   TOOK   ROOT  113 

settled  then.  In  1800  two  churches  were  gathered  in  Wood- 
stock, Vermont,  and  others  in  neighboring  towns.  Stowe, 
Cabot  and  other  places  in  the  northern  part  of  the  state  were 
visited,  as  were  some  northern  New  Hampshire  towns. 

The  entrance  of  tlie  Christians  into  lower  Canada  (Prov- 
ince of  Quebec)  fascinates  like  a  novel.  The  War  of  1812 
was  on  and  communication  and  travel  between  the  States  and 
Canada  were  seriously  interru]>ted.  Elder  Joseph  liadger's 
father  had  moved  into  Canada,  and  young  Joseph  concluded  to 
visit  his  parents  and  preach  the  Gospel  on  the  way.  He  car- 
ried out  his  intention,  but  suffered  arrest  and  some  indignity. 
Later  with  two  young  ministers,  J.  L.  Peavey  and  Joseph 
Bood};,  he  made  another  circuit,  again  suffering  arrest  with  his 
companions.^  Badger  never  forgot  his  trip  to  Ringsey,  an 
entirely  godless  place,  where  he  met  almost  no  friendly  person 
and  was  allowed  to  go  hungry.  But  people  who  were  con- 
strained to  give  him  a  hearing  were  moved  and  started  a  refor- 
mation. Months  later  the  whole  town  turned  out  en  masse 
to  welcome  him.  The  places  visited  by  these  ministers  have 
been  entirely  forgotten  in  the  history  of  the  Christian  denomi- 
nation, and  were  Ascott,  Melbourne,  Shipton,  Hatley,  Stan- 
stead.  Brompton,  Compton,  Westbury,  Ringsey,  Dudswell, 
Oxford  and  Windsor.  The  so-called  "general  meetings"  were 
held  among  these  congregations  as  they  were  in  New  England. 

How  the  Christians  were  planted  in  Pennsylvania  has 
already  been  indicated.  Frederick  Plummer,  of  New  England, 
a  man  of  great  oratorical  gifts,  was  preaching  in  Philadelphia 
in  1810,  and  later  served  churches  in  other  towns.  However, 
the  work  had  previously  reached  the  German-speaking  popu- 
lation of  Philadelphia  and  nearby  places  through  ministers 
from  Virginia.-  Plummer  was  the  most  popular  advocate  of 
the  ChrivStians  in  this  part  of  the  state,  and  says  that  he 
preached  to  an  audience  of  ten  thousand  people  in   the  old 

1  Badger,    pp.    77.    l.^."?  ff.  Ml.    C.    L.,    Vol.    I,    p.    2.'?.    letter   of    Robert 

Punshon. 


lU  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Philadelphia  navy-yard/  Elias  Smith  attracted  many  adher- 
ents when  he  resided  in  Philadelphia  and  traveled  round  about, 
and  yet  churches  of  the  Christians  were  never  numerous  in 
southeastern  Pennsylvania.  About  two  thousand  members  were 
reported  from  Wayne  County,  northeastern  Pennsylvania,  in 
1811.^  The  same  year  a  Herald  correspondent  reported  the 
ingathering  of  between  three  and  four  hundred  converts  among 
churches  in  southern  New  York  and  northern  Pennsylvania, 
probably  in  the  territory  of  what  is  now  known  as  Tioga  Chris- 
tian Conference.  Twentj^-six  ministers  were  laboring  there 
then,  indicating  existence  of  many  adherents  of  religious  lib- 
erty in  that  section.^  A  year  later  churches  were  reported 
from  Washington  County,  southwestern  Pennsylvania,  near 
the  homes  of  the  Campbells,  Alexander  and  Thomas,  but  this 
was  long  before  the  day  of  the  Disciples  of  Christ.* 

The  Christians  also  entered  Maryland.  Attention  has 
been  called  to  Plummer's  Virginia  trip  and  to  northward 
journeys  of  ministers  from  Virginia.  On  his  way  south,  Plum- 
mer  visited  the  city  of  Washington,  and  on  one  occasion 
preached  to  large  audiences  in  the  capital.^  But  the  first 
minister  of  the  Christians  to  preach  there  was  probably  James 
O'Kelly.  Well  founded  tradition  says  that  Thomas  Jefferson 
secured  the  hall  of  Congress  and  had  O'Kelly  preach  there 
twice.  '  .^^! 

Usually  Jasper  Hazen,  of  Vermont,  is  said  to  have  organ- 
ized the  first  Christian  Church  in  New  York  at  Baltimore, 
Green  County,  in  1812 ;  but  there  was  a  Christian  Church  in 
Otsego  County  in  1808,*^  just  the  origin  of  which  is  not  stated. 
David  Millard  was  the  first  young  minister  among  the  Chris- 
tians to  be  ordained  in  that  part  of  new  York."      Within  a  few 

'  H.   G.   L.,  Vol.   I.  p.  1S2.  2  i]-,if|  _   Vol.    IV,   pp.  .SoO.  366.      Some  of  the 

ministers  of  those  sections  are  mentioned.  S.vlvanns  Campbell.  Joshua  Shoales, 
Oirleon  Louis,  Enoch  Owens,  Samuel  Crooker,  and  John  Taylor.  H.  G.  L.,  Vol. 
VI,  p.  530.  3  Ibid..  Vol.  IV,  p.  367.  ■•  Ibid..  Vol.  V,  p.  451.  ^  Ibid.. 

Vol.    I.   p.   173.  "Ibid..  Vol.    IV,  p.    367.  '  Freese,  p.    123.        Amona:  the 

earliest  ministers  mentioned  in  this  section  are  Crawford  W.  Martin.  -John  Spoor, 
Reuben  Alerton,  Chester  Scovel.  Jonathan  S.  Thompson.  Jabez  Kins.  James 
Wilson,  John  Ross  and  a  Free  Baptist  minister  named  Mrs.  Nancy  Cram, 


WHERE  THE   SEED  TOOK  ROOT  115 

years  churches  were  gathered  at  Freehold,  Westerlo,  Milan, 
Canajoharie,  and  other  places  in  Greene,  Albany,  Schoharie, 
and  Dutchess  Counties.^  As  a  result  of  Nancy  Cram's  labors, 
a  church  was  organized  at  Charleston,  about  1813,  which  has 
been  noted  for  producing  ministers,  the  names  of  about  a  dozen 
being  on  record.  Mrs.  Cram  went  to  Ballston  and  held  a  great 
revival  which  resulted,  in  1814,  in  another  church  that  has  sent 
forth  several  ministers,  perhaps  the  most  remarkable  of  them 
l>eing  Mrs.  Abigail  Roberts.  The  earliest  ministers  in  New 
York  were  from  New  England.  The  cause  grew  rapidly, 
both  by  multiplication  of  ministers  and  churches. 

The  foregoing  review  showing  the  geographical  spread  of 
the  Christians,  has  given  hints  of  their  numerical  strength. 
No  complete  or  reliable  reports  or  early  statistics  have  been 
preserved ;  indeed,  some  refused  to  "number  Israel"  for  fear  of 
falling  under  divine  displeasure  as;  the  old  Hebrews  did. 
However,  there  are  a  few  scattered  statements  worth  noticing. 
In  1808,  when  proposals  for  union  of  the  Christians  in  Virginia. 
Kentucky  and  New  England  were  made,  there  were  said  to  be 
twenty  thousand  members  in  the  South  and  West.^  Two  years 
later  there  were  forty  organized  churches  in  New  York,  with 
membership  of  probably  not  less  than  thirty-fiv'e  hundred.  In 
1814  New  England  reported  forty-nine  ministers.^  The  west- 
ern membership  was  estimated  at  several  thousand.  North- 
eastern Pennsylvania  contained  two  thousand  Christians,  and 
the  rest  of  Pennsylvania  and  New  York  must  have  had  three 
thousand  more.  Most  phenomenal  was  the  rapid  increase  of 
ministers  in  Vermont  and  New  Y^'ork.*  That  meant  multipli- 
cation of  churches  and  adherents. 

The  initial  movement  of  the  Christians  came  through 
defections  from  the  Methodists,  Baptists,  and  Presbyterians; 
but  thereafter  accessions  of  ministers  and  church-members 
came  mostly  from  conversions,  the  natural  fruits  of  ligitimate 

1  Freese.    pp.    203-207.  =  H.    G.    L.,    Vol.    I.    p.    43.        See    Ap.,    p.    372. 

•  Ibid.,  Vol.  VI,  p.  r,75.  *  See  Chris.  Reg.  for  1821  and  1823. 


116  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

efforts  to  build  the  church  of  God,  and  not  upon  proselyting  or 
undermining  or  work  among  other  denominations.  Moreover, 
the  Christians  were  slow  in  gathering  revival  fruits  and  natural 
adherents  into  their  churches.  They  did  not  seek  to  build  a 
great  rival  denomination.  They  could  be  content  to  decrease 
if  religious  liberty  might  increase.  Opportunities  for  numer- 
ical greatness  have  been  abundant,  but  the  people  sought  an 
end  greater  than  numerical  greatness. 

DECLARING   THEIR   POSITION 

In  preceding  chapters  we  have  seen  only  the  negative  and 
destructive  position  of  the  new  denomination.  We  will  pause 
just  here  to  let  early  leaders  declare  themselves  positively, 
quoting  from  their  early  writings.  North  and  South.  When 
William  Guirey  inquired  in  1809  through  the  Herald  of  Gospel 
Liberty  what  was  the  position  of  the  Christians  in  New  Eng- 
land, Elias  Smith  answered  through  the  same  medium,  stating 
their  position  in  this  form :  1.  No  head  over  the  church  but 
Christ.  2.  No  confession  of  faith  except  the  New  Testament. 
3.  No  religious  name  but  "Christian."  ^  To  this  Guirey 
replied  that  the  southern  Christians  stood  on  the  same  ground. 
He  said :  "After  we  became  a  separate  people,  three  points  were 
determined  on :  1.  No  head  over  the  church  but  Christ.  2. 
No  confession  of  faith,  articles  of  religion,  rubric,  canons, 
creeds,  etc.,  but  the  New  Testament.  3.  No  religious  name 
but  Christians.  For  several  years  I  have  been  a  minister  in 
this  church  and  have  traveled  among  the  members  from  Phila- 
delphia to  the  southern  frontiers  of  Georgia."  -  Thus  far  had 
they  gone  in  formulating  their  j)Osition,  both  North  and  South. 
In  the  Appendix  ^  are  given  several  more  quotations  serving  to 
show  that  Guirey  was  speaking  the  common  mind  of  brethren 
in  the  South. 

We  have  already  seen   that  in  Virginia   the  name  "The 

1  H.  G.  L„  Vol.  I,  p.  47.  =  Ibid.,  Vol.   I,  p.  4.3.  ^  See  Ap.,  p.  ,373  ff. 


DECLARING    THEIR    POSITION  117 

Christian  Church"  was  adopted  from  the  beginning,  and 
that  through  Virginian  inllueure  the  Kentucky  contingent 
adopted  the  same  name.  At  the  North,  while  "Christian"  was 
everjwhere  a  current  word,  the  whole  body  was  often  called 
"Christian  Connection,"  a  sobriquet  at  once  free  from  smack  of 
presumption  which  some  read  into  the  term  "The  Christian 
Church."  Abner  Jones  says  that  Elias  Smith  started  the 
barbarous  pronunciation  "Christ-yan,"  and  sectarians  grasped 
with  avidity  the  outlandish  name.  In  Kentucky,  all  seceders 
from  the  Presbyterian  Church  during  the  great  revival  were 
called  "Schismatics,"  and  "New  Lights,"  the  latter  nickname 
given  because  the  seceders  professed  to  have  an  inner  witness 
of  the  Spirit  and  minor  revelations  for  their  guidance.^  When 
the  Disciples  appeared  on  the  scene  twenty  years  later,  they 
were  styled  "Reformers,"  but  the  people  whose  history  is  con- 
tained in  this  volume  have  held  scrupulously  to  the  names 
"Christians,"  and  "The  Christian  Church."  James  O'Kelly 
said,  "Brethren,  if  we  are  Christ's,  then  are  we  Christians  from 
His  authority,  His  name  and  His  divine  nature."  -  He  also 
said  that  "Christian"  is  the  new  name  mentioned  in  prophecy.^ 

*  McNemar,  p.  29.  ^  jj.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  40.  "Isaiah  62  :  2. 


118  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  IV 

Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  Vols.  I-VIII,  by  Elias  Smitb,  published 
at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  Portland,  Me.,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  and  Boston, 
Mass.       1808-1817, 

A  History  and  Advocacy  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  J.  R.  Freese. 
M.  D.  Christian  General  Book  Concern,  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  1848.  Third 
edition  1852. 

History  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  N.  Summerbell,  D.  D.,  before 
referred  to. 

Memoir  of  Rev.  Joseph  Badger,  by  E.  G.  Holland.  C.  S.  Francis  & 
Co.,  New  York.      Third  edition,  1854. 

Christian  Palladium,  Vols.  I-VI,  edited  by  Joseph  Badger.  Chris- 
tian General  Book  Association,  Union  Mills,  N.  Y.,  1832-1838.  Scattered 
articles. 

Gospel  Luminary,  Vols.  I-IX,  by  David  Millard,  and  by  David 
Millard  and  Simon  Clough,  West  Mendon  and  New  York  City,  1825-1833. 
Scattered  articles. 

Also  biographies  of  James  O'Kelly,  B.  W.  Stone,  David  Purviance, 
and  Elias  Smith,  cited  in  previous  chapters. 


CHAPTER  V 


CHAPTER  V 

Early  Conference  Organizations — "Campbellism^^ 
1819-1832 

TO  MORE  observant  reformers  a  new  denomination  now 
seemed  inevitable,  if  results  of  the  movement  thus  far 
were  to  be  conserved.  Hence  they  faced  the  logic  of 
events,  not  without  trepidation  and  misgivings;  for  another 
sect  Avas  undesirable,  and  imitation  of  existing  sects  would  be 
as  inevitable  as  it  was  that  the  old  Israelites  should  pattern 
after  their  heathen  neighbors.  Observant  men  had  already 
seen  another  thing:  their  sporadic  unorganized  movement  laid 
both  laity  and  ministry  open  to  endless  imposition,  loss  of 
prestige,  and  charge  of  abetting  charlatans.  Meager  and 
slender  was  their  church  organization,  and  both  ministers  and 
congregations  multiplied  like  mushrooms.  Ministers  had  no 
organized  fellowship,  no  regulative  or  advisory  body  to  pass 
judgment  upon  candidates'  fitness,  and  no  authority  to  vouch 
for  ministers'  good  standing  or  to  signify  disfellowship. 

Ever  since  1808  conferences  of  elders  and  general  meetings 
of  a  free-for-all  type  had  been  held,  several  of  them  a  year; 
but  as  no  business  was  attempted,  no  organization  was  needed. 
Churches  had  no  defined  relations  with  each  other  and  no 
prescribed  methods  for  co-operation.  All  associations  had  been 
purely  voluntary  and  thoroughly  independent.  But  in  a  few 
months  all  was  changed. 

In  181G  the  whole  brotherhood  was  chagrined  and  thrown 
into  consternation  by  announcement  of  that  soul  of  the  new 
movement,  Elias  Smith,  through  his  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty, 
that  he  had  espoused  the  Universalist  faith.  Strong  men  wept 
at  the  announcement,  and  violent  resentment  against  Smith 


122  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

was  manifested.  Some  of  his  co-laborers  turned  their  backs 
upon  him  and  never  afterward  trusted  nor  forgave  him.  To 
rescue  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty  from  ignominy,  a  layman 
of  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  Robert  Foster,  bought  the 
paper,  moved  it  back  from  Boston,  and  continued  the  publica- 
tion until  1835,  when,  on  account  of  bankrupted  health  and 
finances,  he  sold  it  to  an  association  of  brethren  known  as 
Eastern  Christian  Publishing  Association.  Under  Foster's 
editorship  the  paper  lost  its  aggressiveness,  brilliance  and 
leaderhip  in  promoting  the  denomination ;  but  it  still  continued 
a  valuable  organ  of  communication  and  an  indispensable 
adjunct  to  the  infant  cause. 

The  conference  idea  already  existed  in  a  hazy  form,  with 
but  two  or  three  working  organizations.  A  conference  had 
been  organized  in  Kentucky  in  1804,  the  records  of  which  are 
still  extant.^  This  was  close  upon  formation  of  the  church  in 
that  state.  The  Big  Sandy  Conference  in  southeastern  Ken- 
tucky is  said  to  have  been  organized  about  this  time.  S.  Mason 
wrote  in  September,  1878,  that  the  seventy-first  annual  session 
of  Deer  Creek,  Ohio,  Christian  Conference  had  just  closed.- 
The  usage  in  reckoning  conference  sessions  has  not  been  uni- 
form, some  officers  calling  the  meeting  after  formation  the 
first  annual  conference.  Mason's  statement  would  take  the 
first  session  of  Deer  Creek  Conference  back  to  1807  or  1808. 
The  seventh  Virginia  Conference  met  in  1821.^  William 
Kinkade  says  *  that  a  Christian  Conference  in  the  southern 
Wabash  country,  Territory  of  Indiana,  was  organized  in  1817 
(but  no  particulars  have  come  down  to  us),  and  that  the 
Conference  on  the  Wabash  in  Illinois  dates  its  origin  back  to 
1818,  when  it  was  considered  a  branch  of  the  Indiana  organiza- 
tion.^      The  idea  of  county  and  state  conferences  was  put 

1  Chris    An  ,  1898.  p.  114  ;  H.  G.  L..  October  6,  1910.  =>  H.  G.  L.,  Septem- 

ber 21  1878  '  3  ciiris.  Her.,  Vol.  IV,  p.  110.  This  was  probably  the  immer- 
slonist'  branch    of   the   Virginia   Christians.  *  Kinkade,    p.   300.  "  Ibid., 

p.  300. 


EARLY  CONFERENCES  123 

forward  during  a  General  Conference  of  181G,  at  Windham, 
Connecticut,  but  nothing  came  directly  of  that  suggestion.^ 

"Elder's  conferences,"  spoken  of  a  few  pages  back,  should 
be  regarded  as  forerunners  of  the  local  conferences ;-  while  the 
"general  meetings"  correspond  closely  to  quarterly  conferences 
later  in  vogue. 

Closely  following  Smith's  lapse  into  Universalism,  a  con- 
ference of  ministers  met  in  Portsmouth  to  plan  means  for 
obviating  inroads  of  a  seemingly  perverse  faith  only  a  step 
removed  from  an  abandoned  life.  Other  conferences  followed, 
and  in  September,  1817,  a  delegated  gathering  met  at  New  Bed- 
ford, Massachusetts,  where  Smith's  fall  from  grace  was  dis- 
cussed and  general  organization  was  bruited.  The  meeting 
adjourned,  however,  without  provision  for  perpetuating  itself. 
It  was  agreed  that  neighboring  elders  and  churches  should  be 
counseled  with  in  formation  of  new  churches;  that  baptism 
should  be  administered  only  by  churches'  consent;  that  all 
baptized  persons  should  seek  church  relationship ;  that  a  church 
must  approve  before  a  member  should  be  ordained  an  elder; 
that  each  elder  should  have  church  membership;  and  that 
discipline  should  be  meted  out  to  ministers  and  churches. 
Finally  agreeing  upon  the  advisability  of  holding  an  annual 
conference,  adjournment  was  taken. 

West,  South  and  North  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty  car- 
ried tidings  about  Smith,  and  about  the  conference  idea,  and 
in  each  section  near  the  same  date  conferences  were  born.  We 
can  scarcely  more  than  mention  organizations  for  this  period, 
1819-1832,  reserving  a  chronological  list  for  the  Appendix.^ 
Conferences  had  unquestionably  been  held  in  Virginia  and 
North  Carolina  for  several  jears,  but  records  were  almost 
immediately  destroyed,  to  hinder  their  becoming  instruments 
of  oppression.  The  Virginia  Christian  Conference,  according 
to  extant  records,  dates  back  to  1818.       A  year  later  it  was 

1  Fernald.    p.    87.  -  Freese,    p.    174 ;    Chris.    Pall.,    XIX,    pp.    14,    15. 

'  See  Ap.,  p.  376. 


124  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

made  Eastern  Virginia  Christian  Conference.  At  Pittsford, 
New  York,  a  conference  of  ''elders  and  brethren"  was  held  in 
1817  preliminary  to  a  general  yearly  conference  of  elders  for 
that  state,  the  organization  of  which  was  set  for  the  next  year.^ 
Conferences  of  ''elders  and  brethren''  were  called  whenever 
deemed  advisable,  to  adjudicate  church  troubles,  discipline  or 
ordain  ministers.  The  New  York  Christian  Conference,  duly 
organized  in  1818,  was  divided  into  Eastern  and  Western  two 
years  later.-  A  conference  was  formed  in  Maine  in  1818. 
From  now  on  they  multiplied  rapidly:  Mad  River  (now  Miami 
Ohio),  New  Hampshire,  Vermont,  Southern  Ohio,  Connecticut, 
Athens  (Ohio),  Norfolk  (Virginia),  Massachusetts,  Central 
Indiana,  Upper  Canada  (Province  of  Ontario),  North  Carolina 
and  Virginia;  New  York  Central,  created  by  dividing  the  West- 
ern body;  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut,  Salt  Creek  (Ohio) 
about  this  time;  New  York  and  Erie,  formed  by  a  slice  of  the 
New  York  Western  in  the  southwestern  corner  of  the  state, 
together  with  a  few  churches  in  northeastern  Ohio  and  north- 
western Pennsylvania;^  Sunbury  (Ohio),  which  became  Ohio 
Central  in  1830;  North  Carolina,  where  several  hundred  Free 
Will  Baptists  were  expected  to  join;  Union  Christian,  compris- 
ing a  few  churches  in  the  northwestern  part  of  Kentucky  and 
adjacent  parts  of  Indiana;  New  Jersey,  result  of  labors  which 
began  in  182G,  the  first  church  being  organized  at  Vernon,  in 
Sussex  County;  Cole  Creek  (now  Western  Indiana)  ;  New  York 
Northern;  New  Hampshire,  divided,  in  1832,  into  so-called 
"county  conferences,"  Rockingham,  Strafford  and  Merrimack; 
New  Brunswick,  along  the  St.  John's  River,  where  there  were 
twenty  churches;  Eastern  North  Carolina,  to  accommodate 
churches  in  that  part  of  the  state;  and  Maine  now  had  three 
conferences. 

How  the  Christians  entered  New   Brunswick  and  Nova 
Scotia  from  Maine,  and  how  they  entered  Province  of  Quebec 

1  Records    New    York     Western     Christian    Conference.         Badger,     p.     187. 
2  Chris.  Her.,  Ill,  p.  71.  ^  New  York  Western  records. 


EARLY  CONFERENCES  125 

from  northern  New  England,  has  been  recounted.  It  remains 
to  say  that  they  entered  Province  of  Ontario  by  way  of  New 
York,  and  in  the  following  manner  i^  under  the  preaching  of 
Elder  David  Millard,  in  Greenville,  N.  Y.,  a  woman  was  con- 
verted by  the  name  of  ]Mrs.  Mary  Stogdill,  who  with  her  family 
moved  to  Newmarket,  Ontario,  in  the  year  1821.  She  had  been 
thoroughly  imbued  with  the  position  of  the  Christians,  and  not 
finding  any  church  of  her  choice  in  Canada,  she  wrote  home  to 
New  York  friends  telling  them  of  her  lonesomeness  and  longing 
for  fellowship  with  the  Christians.  Some  of  her  letters  were 
published  in  the  Chn'.sfian  HcrahJ,  urging  that  ministers  be 
sent  into  Ontario.  In  the  summer  of  1821  a  young  preacher 
named  Allen  Huntley  crossed  from  New  Y''ork  and  visited  Mrs. 
Stogdill.  He  was  invited  to  Lake  Simcoe  by  Darius  Mann, 
preached  there,  gathered  material  for  a  church,  and  received 
ordination  there  October  21,  the  same  year.  Two  elders  from 
New  York,  J.  T.  Bailey  and  Simeon  Bishop,  organized  Keswick 
church,  at  Lake  Simcoe,  about  the  time  of  Huntley's  ordination. 
New  York  brethren  sent  Nathan  Harding  and  Asa  C. 
Morrison  to  preach  and  organize  churches  in  the  Province,  and 
a  good  many  ministers  of  the  Christians  visited  there  and 
preached  in  immediately  following  years.  By  1830  more  than 
ten  churches  had  been  established,  most  of  them  still  in  exist- 
ence. Moreover,  a  number  of  ministers  had  been  raised  up — 
Thomas  Henry,  J.  W.  Sherrard,  Jesse  Van  Camp,  Sisson  Brad- 
ley and  William  Noble,  and  perhaps  others. 

The  difficulties  of  the  infant  cause  in  Ontario  were  fully 
as  great  as  those  encountered  in  the  United  States.  New  Y^ork 
ministers  were  suspected,  because  they  hailed  from  United 
States  soil ;  the  cause  was  suspected  because  it  was  imported, 
and  because  its  doctrines  did  not  accord  with  those  usually 
heard.      The  ministers  were  under  legal  disability,  until  1845. 

In  1825  the  Ontario  Christian  Conference  was  organized, 

•Cent.  Book,  pp.  503,  581-589.       Chris.  Her..  Vol.  IV,  p.  43. 


126  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

usually  spoken  of  then  as  the  Conference  of  Upper  Canada,  to 
distinguish  it  from  the  country  farther  down  the  St.  Lawrence 
River  known  as  Lower  Canada. 

Mrs.  Stogdill  lived  to  welcome  a  dozen  Christian  ministers 
to  her  home,  and  to  see  thirty  churches  organized,  twenty-three 
of  them  worshiping  in  their  own  buildings,  all  within  fifteen 
years.  Multiplication  of  churches  continued  with  consider- 
able rapidity  until  about  1850. 

TYPES  OF  ORGANIZATION 

Organized  delegated  conferences  were  regarded  askance  by 
many  who  feared  loss  of  independence  for  individuals  and 
churches.  Some  older  men  vigorously  expressed  fears  that 
dearly  bought  liberty  was  about  to  be  forfeited.  But  safe- 
guarding the  ministry  and.  churches  outweighed  all  fears,  and 
Christian  conferences  have  been  multiplying  for  nearly  one 
hundred  years. 

The  conference  was  regarded  as  a  voluntary  association. 
No  minister  or  church  was  compelled  to  join,  and  some  minis- 
ters and  churches  probably  never  did  join.  Whatever  author- 
ity conference  possessed  was  delegated  by  units  composing 
conference — ministers  in  good  standing,  churches  in  good 
standing  represented  by  their  delegates.  Members  were  care- 
ful not  to  compromise  their  own  liberty  or  their  churches' 
independence.  Hence  conference  might  discuss,  admonish, 
advise,  urge,  but  could  not  demand  or  legislate.  True,  some 
resolutions  passed  at  annual  sessions  seemed  peremptory,  but 
they  fell  harmless.  These  early  organizations  were,  therefore, 
merely  voluntary  modes  of  co-operation. 

Almost  immediately  the  character  and  standing  of  minis- 
ters and  churches  began  to  be  inquired  into  at  annual  confer- 
ences, and  cases  of  discipline  or  exclusion  were  recorded, 
showing  that  some  tribunal  was  needed  to  preserve  the  brother- 
hood's good  name  and  integTity.       Qualifications  for  member- 


EARLY  CONFERENCES  127 

ship  were  not   iiniforni,   but   varied   p-eatiy ;    but   in   general 
Christian  character  was  an  indispensable  condition. 

Thi'ee  types  of  organization  were  common,  existing  side 
by  side.  First,  for  the  session  only,  with  moderator  and 
clerk  who  served  only  during  the  session.  Ad  interim  there 
was  no  conference.  Each  session  fixed  time  and  place  for  the 
following  conference,  and  then  died.  Conference  records  were 
destroyed  to  prevent  their  becoming  binding  enactments.' 
Second,  some  conferences  elected  moderator  pro  tern,  and  per- 
manent clerk.  This  was  town  meeting  style  in  New  England, 
and  was  used  in  churches  also.  The  clerk  gave  warning  of 
the  next  annual  session,  and  called  that  session  to  order,  when 
a  chairman  was  chosen.  This  gave  a  custodian  for  permanent 
records.  Third,  other  conferences  chose  officers  for  a  year, 
who  served  through  the  year,  and  formed  an  executive  com- 
mittee ad  interim,  that  the  conference  might  work  the  year 
round.      This  type  was  formed  for  business. 

Conferences  exchanged  fraternal  messengers,  but  otherwise 
had  no  connection,  each  framing  its  own  laws  and  working  in 
its  own  way.  Uniformity  was  lacking;  but  an  unwritten  law 
made  it  courtesy  for  one  conference  to  respect  actions  or  decla- 
rations of  sister  bodies.  If  they  issued  manifestoes  defining 
their  faith  and  practice,  jet  such  declarations  were  in  no 
sense  obligatory  upon  individuals  or  conferences,  but  simply 
explanatory. 

GATHERING  STATISTICS 

In  this  period  conferences  began  to  gather  and  record  and 
publish  annual  statistics,  meager  and  incomplete  and  yet 
helpful  to  the  historian. 

In  1821  appeared  "The  Christian  Register  and  Almanac, 

'Compare  with  the  following:  "The  brethren,  after  conversing  freelv    unan- 
imously agreed   to   lay  aside  the   Minute-Book  for  the  present,   for  the  foilowing 

reason,   viz.  :   Tliat    some  of  the  brethren    were   opposed   to   it." This  in   Indiana 

Christian  Conference,  18i;9.       Chris.  Mess.,  Feb.,  1831,  p.  40.  maiana 


128  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

containing  the  Astronomical  Calculations  of  an  Almanac,  for 
the  year  1821;  performed  by  Nathan  Daboll.  Likewise  a 
variety  of  information  respecting  the  Christian  Churches, 
Preachers,  etc.,  in  the  United  States.  Collected  at  a  General 
Conference  holden  at  Windham,  Connecticut,  on  the  28th  of 
October,  1820 ;  published  by  order  of  the  same."  Printing  for 
the  first  issue  was  done  by  Samuel  Gi'een,  New  London,  Con- 
necticut That  publication  was  issued  in  1821,  1823,  1824, 
1825,  1827,  1836,  1841,  1842,  1849,  and  1852,  without  change  of 
name,^  and  was  forerunner  of  the  present  "Christian  Annual." 
The  first  issue  gave  names  of  conferences,  elders,  licentiates 
and  churches  so  far  as  ascertainable.  However,  printed  data 
were  too  inaccurate  to  guide  one  in  determining  the  full  denom- 
inational strength.  One  thing  appeared  plain — the  rapid 
increase  of  ministers,  who  came  into  being  almost  as  quickly 
as  the  dragon's  teeth  Pyrrhus  threw  over  his  head  were  turned 
into  armed  soldiers.  Rev.  Joseph  Badger  made  an  extended 
tour  through  the  West  and  South  to  observe  conditions,  gather 
statistics,  and  cement  the  bond  of  union  between  sections.  He 
reported  three  hundred  ministers  and  fifteen  thousand  church 
members  in  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee and  Alabama.  Those  figures  substantially  agree  with 
William  Kinkade's,  published  in  his  letter  in  1825.^  We  espe- 
cially note  the  figures  for  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  in  view  of 
what  transpired  there  in  1832  and  later:  three  conferences  in 
Kentucky  had  fifty  preachers,  seventy-seven  churches  and 
about  thirty-five  hundred  members.^  Tennessee  had  thirty- 
one  preachers,  sixty  churches  and  four  thousand  communi- 
cants, in  1831.*  The  membership  in  Indiana  was  estimated  at 
three  thousand  in  1820.^  For  the  Avhole  denomination  in  1827 
the  Christian  Herald  estimated  five  hundred  ministers,  seven 


'  After  the  "Register  and  Almanac"  ceased,  the  "Christian  Almanac"  was 
published  from  1872-1881.  the  "Christian  Year  Book  and  Almanac."  1882-1891, 
the  "Christian  Year  Book."  1802-1806.  and  then  came  the  "Christian  Annual." 
2  Chris.  Her.,  Vol.  IX.  p.  .50  ff.  ^  Hiifi  _  vol.  IX.  p.  52.  Mios.  Lum.,  Vol.  V, 

pp.  50.  51.  ''  L.  H.  Jameson,  D.  D..  in  a  memorial  address  delivered  in  1882. 


"CAMPBELLISM"  129 

to  ten  hundred  churches,  and  fifty  thousand  members.^      Prob- 
ably these  figures  were  too  large.^ 

What  is  of  greater  consequence  is  the  fact  that  church 
properties  were  rapidly  increasing  in  number  and  value.  They 
promised  permanence  not  otherwise  possible.  From  all 
directions  came  reports  of  erection  and  dedication  of  large 
frame,  brick  or  stone  meeting-houses,  adequate  for  their  time 
and  purpose.  Thirty-six  in  Kentucky  and  twenty-eight  in 
Ohio  were  reported  in  182G.  A  majority  of  those  in  Kentucky 
were  brick  structures.  No  wonder  that  Mark  Fernald  wrote, 
in  jubilant  frame  of  mind  in  1831,  that  the  Christians  were 
making  glorious  progress.^ 

'^^campbellism" 

Alexander  Campbell,  son  of  Thomas  Campbell,  came  to 
America  from  Scotland  in  the  fall  of  1800,  He  was  a  young 
man  of  good  education  and  address,  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
Church.  Both  father  and  son  found  themselves  out  of  har- 
mony with  their  church,  and  took  ground  common  with  the 
Baptists.  The  fall  Alexander  arrived,  his  father  had  organ- 
ized "The  Christian  Association  of  Washington''  (in  south- 
western Pennsylvania)  and  issued  his  ''Declaration  and 
Address."  In  this  document  Thomas  Campbell  declared  that 
the  church  is  one,  that  no  uncharitable  division  should  exist  in 
it,  that  no  articles  of  faith  should  be  formulated,  because 
Christians  should  obey  nothing  except  what  Christ  and  the 
New  Testament  enjoin.  The  New  Testament  is  a  perfect  con- 
stitution for  worship,  for  discipline,  for  government  of  the  New- 
Testament  church,  and  a  perfect  rule  for  duties  of  members. 
He  further  insisted  that  human  authority  should  not  interfere 
where  the  New  Testament  is  silent,  that  doctrinal  statements 

»  Chris.   Her..   Vol.   X.    p.   80.  ^  Elijah   Shaw   estimated  that  there   were 

700  ministers  and  50,000  communicants  in  1833. — Chris.  Her.,  Vol.  XVI,  p    262 
•Fernald,  p.  236. 


130  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

should  not  be  made  tests  of  church  membership,  and  finally, 
that  divisions  in  the  church  are  evil  and  anti-Scriptural.^ 

Alexander  Campbell  more  or  less  completely  fell  in  with 
his  father's  ideas,  and  labored  with  him.  He  had  already 
associated  with  men  who  were  advocating;  larger  religious 
liberty;  and  scarcely  had  he  joined  the  Christian  Association 
of  Washington  before  he  was  called  upon  to  defend  the 
"Declaration  and  Address."  It  was  then  that  his  leadership 
began,  and  his  scholarship  and  ability  were  recognized.  In 
May,  1811,  at  Brush  Run,  Pennsylvania,  a  church  was  organ- 
ized upon  the  Campbell  position,  and  Thomas  Campbell  became 
an  elder,  while  Alexander  was  licensed  to  preach.  The  next 
year  Alexander  was  ordained  by  the  Brush  Run  church.  As 
an  itinerant  preacher  he  traveled  far  and  near  in  several 
states.  The  slogan  of  the  Campbell  movement  was :  "Where 
the  Scriptures  speak,  we  speak;  where  they  are  silent,  we  are 
silent."  -  It  was  in  1812  that  Alexander  settled  upon  immer- 
sion as  the  proper  form  of  baptism,  and  with  several  others, 
including  his  father,  was  so  baptized  in  1813.  Before  long  the 
whole  Brush  Run  church  was  immersed,  and  that  mode  of 
baptism  "became  a  condition  of  union  and  communion  with 
the  Brush  Run  church."  ^  A  year  later  the  Campbells  and 
their  church  united  with  a  Baptist  Association.  Until  1820 
Alexander  Campbell  tilled  his  farm,  preached  as  he  had  oppor- 
tunity, and  conducted  a  private  seminary  in  his  home  in  Beth- 
any, West  Virginia.  He  began  ])ublication  of  the  Christkni 
Baptist  in  1823,  which  was  continued  till  1830,  when  the  Millen- 
nial Harhifiger  took  its  place  and  assumed  more  decidedly  than 
ever  the  role  of  religious  reformer.  He  visited  Kentucky  the 
next  year  lecturing  and  preaching  his  peculiar  views,  and  that 
year  for  the  first  time  he  and  B.  W.  Stone  met.  This  was 
thirty  years  after  the  Christians'  movement  began,  and  twenty 

i  Gates,  p.  48  ff.  =  jbid.,  p.  154.  'Ibid.,  p.  90, 


-CAMPliELLTSM''  131 

years  after  Stone  and  bis  companions  made  their  stand  for  an 
unsectarian  Christianity  in  Kentucky. 

As  Campbell  was  still  a  Baptist,  he  got  the  ear  of  many 
people,  and  his  paper  exerted  a  wide  influence.  Immediately 
some  liaptist  proacliers  in  Kentucky  adopted  bis  views  and 
promulgated  them.  Campbell's  acquaintance  was  cultivated 
by  Stone,  and  some  of  Stone's  co-laborers  began  to  preach 
Campbell's  doctrines,  and  a  little  later  forwarded  union 
between  Christians  and  Reformers  in  Kentucky.  Very  rapid 
progress  was  made  by  Campbell's  followers  in  southeastern 
Ohio,  although  their  movement  reached  several  other  states 
and  gained  ground  rapidly  in  the  ''blue  grass  state."  Bap- 
tists became  thoroughly  alarmed  and  began  to  disfellowship 
the  Reformers,  so  that  by  1832  they  were  "practically  elim- 
inated" from  the  Baptist  Church  and  began  a  separate  denom- 
inational existence.!  But  as  Gates  remarks:  "It  must  not  be 
forgotten  that  the  movement  was  for  the  most  part  a  propa- 
ganda among  Baptist  churches  from  1813  to  1830." 

When  the  Reformers  were  practically  disfellowshiped  by 
the  Baptists,  Campbell  saw  that  nothing  remained  for  his 
followers  but  independent  existence.  Xot  a  few  Baptist 
churches  had  bodily  gone  over  to  the  Reformers ;  they  had  large 
fragments  of  others;  Baptist  forms  of  organization  and  pro- 
cedure were  continued  for  a  time;  and  considerable  property 
was  brought  from  the  Baptists  to  the  Reformers. 

Casting  about  for  a  name  suitable  for  his  new  denomina- 
tion, Campbell  found  several  which  he  regarded  as  Scriptural, 
but  a  choice  lay  between  "Christians"  and  "Disciples  of 
Christ."  Finally  the  latter  name  was  chosen  as  being  quite 
as  Biblical  and  more  distinctive,  since  the  "Christians"  had 
already  worn  that  name  more  than  thirty-five  years  in  Virginia 
and  North  Carolina  and  more  than  twenty-five  years  in  Ken- 
tucky.2 

» Gates,  p.  170        The  Disciples  of  Christ  were  organized  18'^  =  \riii 

Harb.,  January.  1847.       Chris.  Pall..  Vol.  XV,  p.  346.     *"      ''*^"  ^*-'-  -"''' 


132  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

A  "union"  between  Christians  and  Reformers  was  effected 
in  Kentucky.  Man}'  people  find  difficulty  in  comprehending 
that  "union,"  and  much  that  is  erroneous  has  been  said  upon 
the  subject.  A  "formal  union"  is  even  spoken  of.  That 
"union"  was  not  like  organic  unions  advocated  in  our  day;  and 
yet  Stone  says  that  efl'ecting  the  union  was  the  noblest  act  of 
his  life.^  He  also  describes  the  difference  between  the  t^'O 
denominations  as  the  doctrine  of  baptism  for  remission  of  sins, 
and  the  weekly  communion.  In  other  respects  they  occupied 
identical  ground,  and  the  chief  doctrines  proclaimed  by  Camp- 
bell had  been  preached  for  years  by  the  Christians. 

The  "union"  itself  was  consummated  on  New  Year's  day, 
1832,  in  Hill  Street  Christian  Church,  at  Lexington,  Kentucky, 
where  representatives  of  both  parties  pledged  themselves  "to 
one  another  before  God,  to  abandon  all  speculation,  especially 
on  the  Trinity,  and  kindred  subjects,  and  to  be  content  with 
the  plain  declaration  of  Scripture  on  those  subjects  on  which 
there  had  been  so  much  worse  than  useless  controversy."  ^  The 
plain  meaning  is  that  they  found  common  ground  to  occupy, 
threw  away  their  divisive  teachings  and  opinions,  and  acted  as 
one.  The  men  who  at  Lexington  pledged  themselves  there  and 
then  gave  one  another  the  hand  of  fellowship,  speaking  for 
themselves,  and  the  churches  they  came  from,  but  not  for  all 
the  churches  or  the  denominations  in  Kentucky  or  the  United 
States.  There  was  no  voting,  and  no  attempt  at  formal 
union,  but  merely  a  "flowing  together"  of  those  like-minded.^ 
In  token  of  that  union  Elder  John  Smith,  of  the  Disciples  of 
Christ,  and  Elder  John  Rogers  of  the  Christians  "were 
appointed  evangelists  by  the  churches"  to  promote  that  simple 
unsectarian  Christian  work,  which  was  adhered  to  by  thou- 
sands; and  Stone  took  Elder  J.  T.  Johnson,  a  Disciple,  as 
eo-editor  of  the  Christian  Messenger. 

This  "union"  did  not  change  the  status  of  any  name  or 

•stone,  p.   79.  =  Ibid.,   p.   343.  Mbid..   p.    141. 


"CAMPBELLISM"  133 

church  or  minister  or  piece  of  property.  At  a  later  time 
Campbell  made  some  public  invidious  remarks  about  the  Chris- 
tians, and  it  began  to  be  claimed  that  they  had  joined  or  united 
with  the  Disciples.  John  Rogers  says  on  this  point:  ''No  one 
ever  thought  [at  the  first]  that  the  Reformers,  so-called,  had 
come  over  to  us,  or  that  we  had  gone  over  to  them;  that  they 
were  required  to  relinquish  their  opinions,  or  w^e  ours.  We 
found  ourselves  contending  for  the  same  great  principles,  and 
we  resolved  to  unite  our  energies  to  harmonize  the  church  and 
save  the  world.      Such  are  the  simple  facts  in  the  case."^ 

In  1844  Campbell  published  a  letter  addressed  to  him  by 
John  Rogers  and  three  other  evangelists,  and  by  nine  elders 
and  deacons,  touching  his  invidious  remarks.  Elder  J.  A. 
Gano,  an  evangelist,  drafted  the  letter,  in  which  appeared  the 
following:  "Now  as  we  understand  this  matter  here  [in  Ken- 
tucky], where  the  union  between  the  Reformers  and  the  Chris- 
tians [or,  as  they  were  invidioush'  called,  Campbellites  and 
Stoneites]  first  commenced,  you  were  not  regarded  as  saving 
Brother  Stone,  and  his  associates,  or  they  as  saving  you  or 
yours ;  neither  esteemed  the  speculations  of  the  other  as  of  a 
damning  character.  It  was  rather  an  equal,  a  mutual,  and  a 
noble  resolve,  for  the  sake  of  the  gospel  truth  and  union,  to 
meet  on  common,  or  holy  ground — the  Bible;  to  abstain  from 
teaching  speculation  or  opinion ;  to  hold  such  as  private  prop- 
erty, and  to  preach  the  gospel — to  preach  the  word  of  God. 

"It  was  not  your  joining  Brother  Stone  as  a  leader,  nor 
his  joining  you  as  such,  but  all  rallying  in  the  spirit  of  gospel 
truth,  liberty  and  love,  around  the  one  glorious  center  of 
attraction — Christ  Jesus;  thus  out  of  two  making  one  new 
body,  not  Campbellites  nor  Stoneites,  but  Christians;  and  so 
making  peace,      ^fay  it  long  continue  to  bless  our  land  I"  - 

Of  similar  tenor  is  a  letter  written  by  Elder  J,  T.  Johnson, 
above  referred  to  as  co-editor  of  the  Christian  Messenger  on 

'  stone,  p.  343.  =  Ibid.,  p.  345. 


134  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

behalf  of  the  Reformers,  He  says:  ''The  union  was  not  a 
surrender  of  the  one  to  the  other;  but  it  was  a  union  of  those 
who  recognized  each  other  as  Christians.  The  union  was 
based  upon  the  Bible,  and  the  terms  therein  contained — a 
union  of  brethren  who  were  contending  for  the  facts,  truths, 
commands  and  promises,  as  set  forth  in  the  divinely  inspired 
word,  the  Bible  alone;  with  the  express  understanding  that 
opinions  and  speculations  were  private  property — no  part  of 
the  faith  delivered  to  the  saints — and  that  such  matters  should 
never  be  debated  to  the  annoyance  and  to  the  disturbance  of 
the  peace  and  harmony  of  the  brotherhood/'  ^ 

It  has  been  necessary  to  explain  this  matter  at  length,  as 
it  has  been  much  misunderstood.  There  never  has  been  a 
formal  organic  union  between  the  Disciples  of  Christ  and  the 
Christians.  There  never  has  been  so  much  as  co-operation 
between  the  denominations,  but  only  between  the  brethren  and 
churches  of  Kentucky  and  contiguous  states  where  the  influence 
of  men  immediately  concerned  with  the  "union"  was  felt. 
Neither  denomination  or  any  part  of  it  joined  another;  no 
leader  in  any  wise  changed  his  affiliation  ;  no  church  changed  its 
affiliation,  until  the  two  denominations  fell  apart  because  of 
widening  differences.  The  "union"  was  such  as  Campbell  and 
Stone  advocated  in  their  day;  it  was  not  such  as  agitation 
to-day  looks  toward. 

Campbell  made  trips  East  and  North,  into  New  York,  New 
England  and  Canada,  preaching  his  views.  His  letters  of  that 
period  indicate  his  disappointment  over  the  results  of  those 
trips.  Churches  of  the  Christians  in  those  sections  were 
almost  uninfluenced  by  Campbell,  except  that  in  "Upper  Can- 
ada" a  considerable  number  of  brethren  were  agitated  for  a 
time.^  The  Disciples  never  gained  a  strong  hold  in  the  sections 
mentioned.  B3'  1840  the  "union"  had  been  dissipated,  with 
disastrous  results  to  the  Christians,  as  will  be  related  later. 

1  stone,  pp.  345,  346.  -  Badger,  p.  338.       Chris.   Pall.,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  101. 


EARLY  ORGANIZATIONS  135 

From  that  day  to  the  present  co-operation  between  churches  of 
the  two  denominations  has  been  rare  and  local.  Campbell 
repudiated  the  grounds  of  the  first  ''union/'  Stone  stuck  by 
them  to  the  last.  To-day  Stone's  influence  predominates 
above  Campbell's,  as  regards  name,  and  Disciples  of  Christ  in 
the  West  and  South  style  themselves  "Christians"  and  "Chris- 
tian Church,"  to  the  general  confusion. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  V 

Christian  Herald,  Vols.  I-XV,  by  Robert  Foster.  Portsmouth,  N.  H., 
1817-1832. 

Christian  Palladium,  Vol.  XIX,  by  Rev.  Jasper  Hazen.  Albany,  N.  Y., 
1850-18.51. 

Gospel  Luminary,  Vols.  I-III,  edited  by  Rev.  David  Millard,  West 
Bloomfleld.  N.  T.,  182.5-1827.  New  series.  Vols.  I-VI,  edited  by  Revs. 
David  Millard  and  Simon  Clough,  New  York,  1828-18.30.  Edited  by 
Simon  Clough,  New  York,  1830-1832. 

Christian  Register  and  Almanac,  published  by  order  of  the  U.  S. 
General  Conference.      Samuel  Green,  New  London,  Conn.,  1821. 

Life  of  Elder  Mark  Fernald,  written  by  himself.  George  Moore 
Payne  and  D.  P.  Pike,  Newburyport,  Mass.,  1852. 

The  Disciples  of  Christ,  by  Errett  Gates,  Ph.  D.  Baker  &  Taylor 
Co.,  New  York,  1005. 

Early  Records  of  the  N.  Y.  Western  Conference. 

Christian  Annual.  Vols.  I-VI.  1897-1902.  The  Christian  Pub- 
lishing Association,  Dayton,  Ohio. 

Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  September  21,  1878,  and  October  G,  1910. 

A  History  and  Advocacy  of  the  Christian  Church,  cited  in  previous 
chapter. 

Also  biographies  of  B.  W.  Stone,  William  Kinkade,  and  Joseph 
Badger,  cited  in  previous  chapters. 


CHAPTER  VI 


CHAPTER  VI 

General  Conference — Publishing  Associations — 
Publications 

1819-1849 

DENOMINATIONAL  consciousness  evolved  slowly,  and 
even  a  denominational  spirit  was  absent  in  most  sections 
of  the  brotherhood.  In  a  foregoing  chapter  the 
sporadic,  inchoate  growth  was  detailed,  which  was  followed  by 
the  formation  of  county  or  state  or  annual  conferences;  but 
now  we  will  trace  briefly  the  life  of  an  institution  which 
manifested  a  denominational  consciousness,  imperfect  at  first, 
fully  developed  later. 

The  general  meetings,  which  were  so  common.  North  and 
South,  were  very  much  like  the  present  quarterly  conferences, 
given  to  counsel  rather  than  to  business.  In  New  England 
the  Free  Baptists  held  such  meetings.  In  1809,  according  to 
Elijah  Shaw,  "Elders'  Conferences"  began  to  be  held  in  con- 
nection with  the  general  meetings,  the  first  being  held  in 
Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  others  following  at  frequent  intervals.^ 
That  of  1810,  at  Windham,  Conn.,  is  spoken  of  as  having  been 
noteworthy.  Then  the  first  delegated  Elders'  Conference  was 
called  at  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  1817,  but  it  was  actually  com- 
posed of  both  elders  and  laymen.  The  first  regularly  organized 
local  conference,  the  records  of  which  are  extant,  was  in  Ken- 
tucky, in  1804;  the  next  in  Virginia,  in  1814;  and  the  third 
was  in  New  York,  in  1818,  composed  of  elders  and  of  delegates 
sent  by  churches. 

Abner  Jones  speaks  of  a  "General  Conference''  being  held 
in  1808  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.  f  but  probably  the  word  "general'* 

>  See  Ap.,  p.  3T8.  =  Chris.   Her.,  Vol.  XVI,  p.  272. 


140  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

was  used  in  a  little  different  sense  from  what  it  was  later  used 
in  this  connection.  By  a  natural  process  the  elders'  or  local 
conference  may  have  suggested  the  general  conference  idea;  at 
any  rate  a  general  conference  was  called  in  June,  1816,  at 
Windham,  Connecticut,  where  Massachusetts,  New  Hampshii-e, 
Vermont,  Maine,  New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  Connecticut 
were  represented ;  and  yet  nothing  came  in  the  way  of  organiza- 
tion from  this  meeting.  A  General  Christian  Conference 
convened  at  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  in  1819,  but  this 
gathering  was  not  delegated.  It  proceeded,  however,  to  make 
recommendation  that  a  General  or  United  States  Conference 
be  formed  to  supplement  the  state  or  local  conferences,  and  the 
state  conferences  were  recommended  to  appoint  messengers 
who  should  met  at  Windham,  Connecticut,  in  1820,  to  organize 
the  said  General  or  United  States  Conference.  That  gathering 
represented  several  states,  one  delegate.  Nelson  Millar,  of  Vir- 
ginia, representing  the  South.  It  will  be  noticed,  however, 
that  only  a  small  portion  of  the  country  found  representation 
at  Windham. 

The  order  of  conference  development  seems  therefore,  to 
be:  first,  the  general  meeting;  then  the  elders'  conference, 
which  was  forerunner  of  the  local  conference;  third,  the  dele- 
gated conference  of  ministers  and  laymen  ;  fourth,  the  regularly 
formed  local  conference;  and  last,  the  general  conference, 
including  the  whole  brotherhood. 

The  fathers  proceeded  very  gingerly  to  create  a  General 
Association  or  Conference,  because  some  of  them  Iwid  experi- 
enced the  sting  of  the  ecclesiastical  whip  and  fought  shy  of 
creating  a  body  to  snap  the  lash  over  them  or  their  brethren. 
The  dissipation  of  force  and  impossibility  of  properly  safe- 
guarding the  young  churches  impelled  the  fathers  to  more 
effective  organization ;  hence  the  birth  of  the  United  States 
Christian  Conference,  which  held  its  first  delegated  session  in 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE  141 

1820.^  Even  this  body  was  loosely  organized.  It  had  no 
continuous  life  between  sessions.  A  moderator  presided,  a 
clerk  engrossed  the  minutes,  a  committee  appointed  when 
session  began  prepared  business  for  the  session,  the  meeting 
designated  time  and  location  for  the  next  conference,  and  the 
gathering  died.  There  were  no  committees  or  executive  boards 
acting  ad  interim.  The  secretary  might  hold  office  from  year 
to  year,  was  resi)onsible  for  keeping  the  few  records,  and 
warned  the  brotherliood  when  the  next  session  approached. 
Usually  the  so-called  general  meetings  preceded  General  Con- 
ference sessions.  Such  was  the  birth  of  the  highest  organized 
advisory  body  of  the  Christian  denomination.  Various 
names  were  given  it  in  the  records,  but  for  several  years  it  was 
called  United  States  General  Conference. 

The  second  General  Conference,  in  1821,  was  presided  over 
by  John  Rand,  the  first  minister  to  be  ordained  under  the 
auspices  of  the  new  denomination  in  New  England,  Reports 
from  the  several  annual  conferences  were  listened  to,  and  reso- 
lutions were  passed  disposing  of  such  reports.  It  was  provided 
that  messengers  from  local  conferences  and  ordained  preachers 
should  compose  the  General  Conference.  The  proceedings  of 
the  Virginia  Christinn  Conference  were  approbated.  An 
action  looking  toward  continuous  work  was  taken  by  appoint- 
ment of  a  "revisory  committee"  to  report  at  the  next  General 
Conference.  This  gathering  of  1821  also  declared  its  compe- 
tency to  deliberate  u])on  questions  referred  from  local  confer- 
ences, or  proposed  by  members  present,  to  advise  elders  and 
brethren  "concerning  the  order  of  the  house  of  God.  both  in  the 
ministry  and  churches,  but  not  to  interfere  with  the  government 
of  the  several  local  conferences  or  churches."  -  The  Christian 
Herald,  although  a  private  venture,  was  regarded  as  an  official 
denominational  organ  for  notices  of  conferences,  and  records 
of  the  same  were  ordered  printed  in  that  paper;  and  finally, 

1  See  Ap.,  p.  378.  =  Chris.  Her.,  Vol.  IV,   p.  57. 


142  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

the  elders  in  the  state  or  local  conferences  were  urged  to  be 
diligent  in  obtaining  names  of  preachers  and  their  residence 
within  ihe  conference,  names  and  locations  of  churches,  together 
with  such  information  as  might  help  in  obtaining  knowledge 
of  the  condition  prevailing  throughout  the  brotherhood.  Here 
we  find  the  germ  of  what  has  grown  to  be  the  American 
(Christian  Convention,  with  its  varied  departments  of  work 
closely  supervising,  but  not  interfering  with,  work  in  local  and 
state  conferences.  In  1826  the  United  States  General  Chris- 
tian Conference  met  again  at  Windham,  at  which  time  Hervey 
Sullings  presided.  At  that  meeting  the  number  of  delegates 
from  each  local  conference  was  limited  to  three,  state  confer- 
ences being  restricted  to  one  vote.  This  was  drawing  the 
line  closer.  A  vote  passed  that  conferences  should  give  letters 
of  recommendation  to  their  members  wishing  to  join  other 
conferences.  Fraternal  relations  came  in  for  consideration, 
a  committee  being  appointed  to  correspond  with  the  General 
Baptists  of  England  and  another  committee  to  correspond 
with  the  Congregational  Convention  on  Long  Island.  Rev. 
Joseph  Badger  was  made  messenger  to  a  conference  in  Cin- 
cinnati, Ohio,  to  bear  the  address  prepared  by  a  committee 
for  that  purpose.  James  Burlingame  was  appointed  to  consult 
with  the  editors  of  the  Gospel  Lwminary  and  Christian  Herald 
about  uniting  the  two  publications,  locating  them  at  New  York, 
putting  them  under  the  United  States  Christian  Conference, 
the  proceeds  of  the  publication  to  support  a  traveling  ministry. 
Intemperance  also  came  in  for  consideration.^ 

Some  acts  of  the  General  Conference  meeting  at  West 
Bloomfield,  New  York,  in  1827,  were  remarkable  for  their 
oddity.  As  a  sample  we  cite  the  following:  "Motioned  and 
carried  that  it  be  not  proper  for  us  to  apply  the  term  Reverend 
to  ministers.  Moved  and  carried  that  we  recommend  to  all 
the  churches  and  preachers  that  they  use  their  influence  to 

1  Gos.  Lum.,  Vol.  II,  pp.  237,  238. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE  143 

prevent  the  introduction  of  instrumental  music  into  our  meet- 
ings and  worship,  and  to  suppress  them  where  they  have  already 
been  introduced,"  Before  adjournment  the  next  General  Con- 
ference was  called  for  1829,  omitting  a  session  in  the  year 
1828.  Meantime  a  committee  was  to  collect  data  for  a  history 
of  the  denomination.  This  session  was  not  entirely  har- 
monious.^ 

We  cannot  follow  the  history  of  this  Conference  in  detail, 
and  that  is  not  necessary,  inasmuch  as  we  are  seeking  a  general 
view  of  denominational  development.  When  Conference  met 
in  New  York,  in  1831,  among  other  resolutions  was  one  stating 
that  measures  adopted  by  the  General  Christian  Conference 
should  be  considered  as  advisory  only.  This  indicates  the 
lurking  fear  which  still  existed  regarding  a  centralized  author- 
ity. Perhaps  the  most  important  action  was  that  appointing 
a  committee  to  deliberate  upon  the  subject  of  a  well  conducted 
periodical.  That  committee  reported  within  twenty-four 
hours,  advising  the  formation  of  a  book  association  according 
to  articles  of  incorporation  submitted.  Article  one  designated 
the  organization  as  the  "Christian  Book  Association,"  although 
it  came  to  be  called  more  commonly  the  "Christian  General 
Book  Association."  Its  object  was  to  print,  bind  and  publish 
books  and  periodicals  calculated  to  promote  piety  and  Chris- 
tian liberty,  including  Bibles,  hymn-books,  pamphlets  and 
periodicals  and  any  other  works  that  might  be  designated  or 
thought  best.  A  board  of  trustees  of  nine  was  ordered,  five  of 
whom  might  form  a  quorum.  The  Association  was  to  be  a 
stock  concern,  trustees  to  be  appointed  at  the  annual  meeting 
of  the  stockholders.  Profits  arising  from  the  business  should 
be  invested  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  Christian  Connec- 
tion. The  committee's  report  was  adoj)ted.  Almost  imme- 
diately the  stockholders  of  the  Christian  Book  Association 
met,    and    elected    trustees    and    executive    committee    and 

1  Chris.  Her.,  Vol.  X,  pp.  155,  156. 


144  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

officers.^  At  Milan,  N.  Y.,  in  1832,  the  Conference  was  dis- 
solved "forever."  ^  Hitherto  representation  had  been  local, 
with  scattered  delegates  from  a  distance.  For  brethren  to 
travel  from  the  West  or  the  Sonth  meant  considerable  expend- 
iture of  money  and  time.  Opposition  to  the  Conference  itself, 
added  to  reasons  just  mentioned,  caused  the  Conference  to  be 
dissolved. 

Hardly  had  delegates  returned  home  before  they  realized 
how  serious  a  blunder  had  been  committed.  Coherence  could 
not  possibly  be  secured  except  by  some  general  supervisory 
body,  delegated  certain  powers  and  authority.  The  next  year, 
largely  through  the  instrumentality  of  Rev.  I.  N.  Walter,  an 
informal  Conference  met  in  New  York  City,  in  early  summer, 
and  issued  a  call  and  recommendation  for  a  meeting  at  Milan^ 
in  October,  to  reorganize  the  General  Conference."  Confer- 
ence convened  and  accomplished  its  purpose  in  due  time. 
Some  matters  were  not  definitely  determined,  but  left  for  the 
next  session.  When  the  Conference  of  1834  met,  at  Union 
Mills,  N.  Y.,  some  of  the  delegates  thought  that  they  were 
gathered  under  call  from  the  Conference,  some  under  call  of 
the  old  Book  Association.  Difficulty  was  experienced,  there- 
fore, in  determining  the  status  of  delegates;  but  finally  a 
satisfactory  reorganization  ^  was  efi'ected,  both  of  the  Confer- 
ence and  the  Book  Association,  the  former  now  to  bear  the 
name  "General  Christian  Convention,"  the  latter  being  called 
"Christian  General  Book  Association."  The  Book  Associa- 
tion was  given  authority  to  acquire  the  Christian  Pallndium 
or  to  publish  a  monthly  periodical  of  that  character,  and  to 
issue  any  other  publications  deemed  warrantable,  appointing 
editors,  filling  vacancies  in  its  own  body,  choosing  officers  to 

1  The  trustees  were  Martin  Kochensperger.  James  Taylor,  James  McKeen. 
John  Duckworth,  John  S.  Taylor.  Simon  Clough,  William  Lane,  Frederick 
Plummer,  Isaac  C.  GofE.  Tlie  officers  were,  Simon  Clough.  President ;  Isaac 
C  Ooff,  Secretary;  Frederick  Plummer,  Treasurer.  This  Association  continued 
in  business  for  "manv  years,  as  we  shall  see. — Gos.  Lum.,  Vol.  V,  pp.  45-50. 
2  Chris    Her     Vol.   XVI.  p.   2T2.  'Gos.   Lum.,   Vol.   VI,   p.   345.  <  Chris. 

Pall..  Vol.  Ill,  p.  225  ff. 


GENERAL  CONFERENCE  145 

carry  out  its  own  purposes,  and  managing  funds  accruing  from 
the  business.  Rev.  Joseph  Badger  was  elected  editor 
Hymnaries  were  to  be  published.  That  tliis  was  a  brand  new 
organization  was  made  sure  by  resolution,  declaring  that  this 
Association  should  not  be  bound  to  fulfill  any  contract  made 
by  the  Christian  Book  Association,  the  Milan  Convention  or  the 
Genessee  Christian  Association.^  The  next  session  of  the  Con. 
ference  and  Association  met  at  New  York  City,  in  October, 
1838.  Delegates  were  present  from  Maine  to  Ohio ;  outside  of 
delegates  the  attendance  was  large.  At  last  the  brethren 
seemed  to  realize  the  necessity  of  having  a  general  Convention. 
Once  more  the  Book  Association  monopolized  attention.  In- 
asmuch as  that  organization  had  not  yet  become  a  corporation, 
the  Convention  ordered  incorporation  at  once.  Elder  David 
Millard  was  made  editor  of  the  Christian  Palladium  for  the 
next  current  volume.  Almost  complete  harmony  characterized 
this  Convention, 

Both  Convention  and  Book  Association  met  at  Stafford, 
New  York,  in  1842,  the  attendance  still  being  large.  Changes 
were  made  in  publication  of  the  Palladium  by  creating  Elder 
Seth  Marvin  publishing  agent.  The  Convention  contemplated 
publishing  a  magazine  with  the  caption  Christian  Repository 
and  Bevicio.  A  memorial  from  brethren  in  Ohio,  asking  for 
concurrence  of  the  Book  Association  in  publishing  a  periodical 
for  the  ^Yest,  was  passed  ui)on  favorably,  such  periodical  to 
be  auxiliary  to  the  Christian  Palladium,  but  controlled  by  an 
association  organized  by  conferences  in  western  states.^  The 
final  meeting  of  the  Convention  for  this  period  convened  at 
Union  :Mills,  New  York,  October,  184G.  Delegates  were  present 
from  nine  local  conferences,  and  ministers  and  brethren  from 
diff'erent  sections  were  admitted  to  deliberate.  The  need  of 
concentration  was  again  felt,  and  the  executive  committee  of 
the  Book  Association  was  ordered  to  solicit  union  of  publishing 

>  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  227.  =  Ibid.,  Vol.  X.  p.  1.56. 


146  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

interests  of  the  brethren  in  New  Hampshire,  Ohio  and  Canada, 
that  a  weekly  paper  and  monthly  magazine  might  be  issued 
from  Albany  or  Troy,  New  York,  such  co-operation  being  de- 
sired by  January  1  following.  The  plan  contemplated  one 
resident  editor,  one  corresponding  editor  in  the  East  and  one 
in  the  West.  In  case  that  proposition  failed,  then  the  execu- 
tive committee  was  to  commence  the  publication  of  a  weekly 
paper  and  monthly  magazine  somewhere  in  New  York.  Con- 
sidering the  difficulty  of  securing  books  adapted  to  Sunday- 
school  use,  the  executive  committee  was  urged  to  secure  or 
publish  such  as  were  adapted  to  schools  of  the  Christian 
denomination.  About  this  time  Meadville  Theological  School 
was  being  established,  Unitarians  and  Christians  co-oper- 
ating, and  the  Convention  passed  a  resolution  favoring  resort 
of  its  prospective  ministers  to  that  institution.^  A  protest 
against  slavery  was  presented  and  read  to  the  Convention,  but 
no  general  action  was  taken. 

In  this  brief  survey  of  the  period  from  1810  to  1840,  it 
will  be  apparent  that  the  General  Conference  or  Convention 
became  an  absorbing  theme.  After  its  dissolution  in  1832 
more  interest  was  awakened  and  department  work  began  to 
be  thought  of.  Publishing  interests  were  especially  empha- 
sized. All  this  augured  well  for  the  future  of  the  denomina- 
tion. Just  here  may  be  introduced  some  history  of  the 
denomination's  publishing  aflFairs. 

PUBLISHING    ASSOCIATIONS 

Several  associations  or  corporations,  of  more  or  less 
denominational  scope,  have  been  formed  for  publishing  pur- 
poses, at  length  contributing  to  or  being  merged  into  The 
Christian  Publishing  Association  of  the  present.  Never  have 
any  people  appreciated  the  value  of  printer's  ink  better  than 
the  Christians.      It  is  a  question  whether  they  have  done  more 

^  The     Christians     eventually     ceased     co-operation,     and     Meadville     School 
became  distinctly  a  Unitarian  school. 


rrBLTSTTTXr,    ASSOCTATTONS  147 

printing  in  jtroportion  to  their  numbers  in  the  hist  fifty  years 
than  they  did  in  the  first  fifty. 

Eastern  Christian  Publishing  Association. — Mention  has 
already  been  made  of  this  Association  which  took  the  Christian 
Herald  off  of  Robert  Foster's  liands  in  1835.^  January  1,  of 
that  year,  tlie  Association  was  formed  at  Hampton,  N,  H.,  and 
was  a  stock  company,  with  an  executive  committee  acting  for 
the  shareholders.  The  corporation  itself  met  biennially. 
Other  publications  than  the  pajyer  were  issued,  and  it  was  the 
intention  to  do  a  jieneral  i)ublishin<;  business.  Lack  of  capital 
greatly  hindered;  and  yet  considerable  vigor  was  shown  in 
maintenance  of  the  Christian  Herald. 

Christian  General  Book  Association. — When  the  United 
States  Christian  Conference  met  at  New  York,  in  1831,  it 
planned  "The  Christian  Book  Association,"  providing  a  consti- 
tution therefor  contemplating  a  stock  concern.  A  board  of 
trustees  was  chosen,  which  met  immediately,  electing  officers. 
With  the  dissolution  of  General  Conference  many  understood 
also  dissolution  of  the  Book  Association ;  so  when  reorganiza- 
tion of  the  Conference  was  effected  in  1834.  a  new  publishing 
agency  was  created,  called  ''Christian  General  Book  Associa- 
tion," which  continued  for  many  years.  The  Convention  of 
1850  divided  the  Association  into  a  "book  department"  and  a 
"periodical  department,"  the  latter  remaining  at  Albany,  N.  Y., 
under  management  of  Rev.  Jasper  Hazen,  editor  of  the  Palla- 
dium.- the  former  going  to  Philadelphia  as  the  Christian 
General  Book  Concern,  with  J.  R.  Freese,  M.  D.,  as  general 
agent,  and  with  sub-agencies  at  ten  cities  East,  South  and 
West.  About  1855  this  Book  Concern  venture  was  abandoned, 
and  the  whole  brought  back  under  one  head. 

Then  the  streams  flowed  together,  the  Palladium  being 
merged  with  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Libert}/  in  1802,  and  the 
latter    becoming    llie    property    of   The    Christian    Publishing 

1  See  Ap.,  p.  .380.  2  gee  ^p.,  p.  381. 


148  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Association  in  1868,  being  moved  west,  so  that  the  interests 
of  all  three  publishing  agencies  mentioned  above  are  now,  and 
have  been  since  1868,  combined  in  The  Christian  Publishing 
Association. 

Genessee  Clirisfian  Association. — Upon  the  heels  of  the 
Book  Association's  first  organization  came  the  formation  of  yet 
another  Association,  in  western  New  York,  with  the  above 
name,  and  with  an  aim  precisely  like  its  contemporary's,  except 
the  proposal  to  issue  a  periodical  at  Rochester,  N.  Y,,  called 
Gospel  Palladium.  That  periodical  was  actually  launched  the 
next  year,  and  named  Christian  Palladium,  although  published 
at  West  Mendon,  in  Monroe  County,  N.  Y.  In  1834  it  was 
acquired  by  the  Christian  General  Book  Association,  and  the 
Genessee  organization  ceased. 

Ohio  Christian  Boole  Association. — The  genesis  of  this 
organization  is  as  follows:  In  Clark  County,  Ohio,  not  far 
from  Springfield,  the  county  seat,  is  a  church  called  Ebenezer 
Chapel,  where  a  conference  was  assembled  in  April,  1843.  A 
few  pages  back  reference  was  made  to  a  memorial  from  western 
brethren  relative  to  a  western  periodical.  For  a  long  time 
such  a  periodical  had  been  needed,  and  its  establishment  had 
been  favorably  regarded  by  the  General  Conference.  At 
Ebenezer  Chapel,  therefore,  the  Ohio  Christian  Book  Associa- 
tion was  formed.  Elder  J.  G.  Reeder  being  President,  and 
Elder  E.  Williamson  being  Secretary-Treasurer.  A  semi- 
monthly paper,  to  be  called  Gospel  Herald,  was  planned  for, 
the  noted  Rev.  Isaac  N.  Walter  being  designated  as  editor.^ 

This  Association  became  effective  the  next  year,  and  issued 
the  first  number  of  its  paper  at  New  Carlisle,  Ohio,  in  October, 
1843,  and  from  that  time  forward,  at  different  towns,  until  that 
Herald  also  entered  tlie  capacious  maw  of  the  Herald  of  Gospel 
TAhcrty  in  1868.  The  Association  continued  under  its  charter 
until  1852,  then  becoming  the  Western  Book  Association,  and 

1  See  Ap.,  p.  381. 


PUBLISHING    ASSOCIATIONS  149 

under  that  caption  dDing  business  until  1800,  when  the  name 
was  again  changed  to  Christian  I'ublishing  Association.  And 
this  is  how  the  four  leading  publishing  concerns  of  the  denom- 
ination North  became  one,  and  why  that  one  still  continues. 
Hoth  The  Christian  Publishing  Association  and  its  periodical 
have  evinced  marvelous  assimilative  power. 

^'^oiithcni  Christian  Pi(hJisJii)ig  Committee. — Brethren  in 
the  South  had  also  been  feeling  keenly  need  of  a  mouthpiece  to 
voice  their  interests.  A  general  meeting  assembled  at  Mount 
Auburn,  Warren  County,  N.  C,  in  the  year  1830,  w^hich  voted 
to  publish  a  paper  styled  Cliristian  Intelligencer,  with  Elijah 
Lewelling,  Thomas  Keeves,  D.  W.  Kerr  and  J.  P.  Lemay  as  an 
editorial  committee.  But  the  question  of  means  with  which 
to  publish  stood  in  the  way,  and  the  paper  did  not  materialize. 
Nine  j-ears  afterward,  the  subject  was  taken  up  in  the  North 
Carolina  and  Virginia  Conference,  became  an  absorbing  theme, 
and  caused  passage  of  a  motion  to  establish  the  Christian  Sun, 
auxiliary  to  the  Christian  Palladium,  and  twelve  men  were 
chosen  to  constitute  the  Southern  Christian  Publishing  Com- 
mittee to  arrange  for  publishing  the  Sun.  Rev.  Daniel  W. 
Kerr  was  elected  editor,^  who  did  the  bulk  of  preparatory  work, 
at  length  issuing  the  first  copy  of  the  paper  from  Junto,  N.  C, 
the  printing  being  done  at  Hillsboro.  This  was  a  sixteen-page 
paper,  at  |1.00  per  year. 

Southern  Christian  Association. — But  the  Sun  had  to  be 
passed  on.  The  year  1847  witnessed  formation  of  the  Southern 
Christian  Association,  at  Pope's  Chapel,  N.  C,  embracing  the 
whole  southern  work.  Editor  Kerr,  r-epresenting  his  confer- 
ence at  that  gathering,  turned  over  to  the  new  Association  the 
Christian  Sim,  which  then  became  the  southern  organ,  while 
the  Association  became  also  a  publishing  organization.  Nearly 
ten  years  later  that  Association  became  the  Southern  Christian 

1  See  Ap.,  p.  381. 


150  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Convention,  retaining  control  of  its  periodical  and  providing 
for  other  publishing  interests. 

In  this  period,  1819  to  1849,  the  publishing  agencies  were 
practically  narrowed  down  to  three.  To  follow  all  their  wind- 
ings is  most  confusing;  and  sufficient  has  been  given  above  to 
enable  readers  to  follow  the  general  trend  of  denominational 
publishing  organizations. 

Since  the  printed  page  w^as  so  commonly  used  and  figured 
so  prominently  in  denominational  growth,  some  account  should 
be  given  of  leading  publications  for  the  period  under  considera- 
tion. We  cannot  give  in  detail  the  history  of  any,  and  minor 
publications  will  find  place  in  the  Appendix.^  Papers,  maga- 
zines, pamphlets  and  books  were  never-failing  means  of  propa- 
gating the  cause  of  religious  liberty.  By  turning  to  the 
graphic  history  of  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liherty,  readers  may 
easily  see  at  a  glance  what  became  of  many  early  publications. 
Authorship  was  common  and  a  respectable  body  of  theological, 
biographical  and  miscellaneous  works  has  been  preserved  to  the 
present. 

RELIGIOUS  PERIODICALS 

Elias  Smith  began  his  journalistic  career  by  publication 
of  the  Christians'  Magazine,  copies  and  bound  volumes  of  which 
can  be  consulted  in  both  public  and  private  libraries.  This 
was  a  thirty-six  page  magazine,  well  printed  and  bound,  first 
issued  in  June,  1805,  from  Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire.  Then 
Smith  started  the  first  religious  newspaper  in  the  world,  which 
has  often  been  mentioned  and  quoted  from  in  this  history. 
Part  of  the  time  Smith  did  the  mechanical  work  in  his  own 
office,  part  of  the  time  he  contracted  for  it.  Then  Smith 
changed  denominational  affiliations  and  his  paper  was  sold  to 
Robert  Foster,  who  continued  the  publication  as  the  Christian 
Herald  until  1835.       The  paper  was  issued  monthly,  size  five 

1  See  Ap. 


RELIGIOUS   PERIODICALS  151 

by  eight  inches,  twenty-lour  pages.'  The  Eastern  Christian 
Publishing  Association  purchased  the  Christian  Herald  of  Fos- 
ter, changed  its  name  to  Christiayi  Journal,  and  issued  it  from 
Exeter,  New  Hampshire.  Rev.  Elijah  Shaw  was  editor — an 
able  man,  occasionally  brilliant — and  under  his  editorial 
management  the  paper  manifested  old-time  fire  and  vigor.  Its 
support  was  better,  its  subscription  list  larger,  and  its  columns 
filled  with  appeals  for  a  more  efficient  ministry  and  more 
effective  denominational  life.  Rev.  Joshua  V.  Himes  had 
established  at  Boston,  in  1837,  a  paper  called  TJic  Christian, 
which  he  sold  to  the  Eastern  Christian  Publishing  Association 
a  year  later,  and  it  was  consolidated  with  tlie  Christian  Jour- 
nal, so  giving  the  latter  paper  a  clear  field  again.  Early  in 
1839,  the  Journal's  name  was  changed  to  Christian  Herald  and 
Journal  and  changed  again  in  1841  to  Christian  Herald,  so 
continuing  until  1850. 

The  New  York  Western  Conference,  meeting  at  Lima  in 
1825,  voted  to  undertake  financial  responsibility  for  the  Gospel 
Luminary.''  Rev.  David  Millard  was  elected  editor,  with  an 
editorial  committee  to  assist.  In  January,  1825,  that  paper 
was  first  issued,  the  mechanical  work  being  done  at  Rochester, 
New  York.  There  were  twenty-two  pages  in  each  issue,  size 
four  and  one-half  by  seven  inches.  Millard  edited  the  paper 
three  years.  He  was  an  able  man  and  produced  a  helpful 
periodical  which  was  duly  appreciated.  In  1829,  it  was  moved 
to  New  York,  a  new  series  being  begun,  edited  conjointly  by 
David  Millard  and  Simon  Clough  for  four  years.  Clough  was 
reckoned  a  scholarly  man,  an  able  preacher,  and  the  joint 
editorial  supervision  increased  the  Luminary's  value  and  influ- 
ence. With  Volume  V  of  the  new  series  this  periodical  was 
acquired  by  the  Christian  General  Book  Association,   Simon 

1  Ellas  Smith  published  for  about  two  years — 1827  to  1S28 — In  Boston,  the 
Morning  Star  and  City  M'atrhmnn.  which  Mr.  Foster  later  bought  and  consoli- 
dated with  the  Herald.  =  xhe  next  year,  with  the  New  Yorlc  Eastern  Confer 
ence,  it  did  assume  the  publication. 


152  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Clough  being  retained  as  editor  until  the  paper  was  merged 
with  the  Christian  Palladium. 

When  the  Genessee  Christian  Association  was  organized, 
its  first  aim  was  to  publish  a  periodical,  the  provisional  name 
of  which  was  Gospel  Palladium,  and  that  project  actually 
materialized.  May  1,  1832,  when  the  first  issue  was  published. 
Rev.  Joseph  Badger  being  editor.  The  paper  had  twenty-four 
pages,  size  four  and  one-half  by  seven  inches,  in  that  day  a 
popular  size.  For  two  years  the  place  of  issue  was  West 
Mendon,  then  at  Union  Mills,  a  hamlet  in  the  town  of  Broad- 
albin,  until  its  removal  to  Albany  several  years  later.  In 
1834  the  size  was  changed  to  six  by  nine  inches,  sixteen  pages, 
and  during  the  publication  at  Albany  the  number  of  pages  was 
doubled.  Badger  quit  the  editorship  in  1839.  He  wielded 
a  vigorous,  talented  pen,  but  unfortunately  was  involved  in 
controversy  with  his  brethren  and  found  it  wise  to  leave  the 
editorial  chair.  An  open  feud  existed  between  the  Christian 
Herald  and  Christian  Palladium.  After  1834  the  Palladium 
was  owned  by  the  Christian  General  Book  Association. 

Rev.  Matthew  Gardner  launched  Christian  Union  in  1841 
at  Ripley,  Ohio,  and  published  it  for  a  year;  but  when  the 
Gospel  Herald  became  a  fact,  in  October,  1843,^  Gardner  turned 
over  his  list  to  the  new  paper.  The  Gospel  Herald  was  child 
of  the  Ohio  Christian  Book  Association,  and  when  first  pub- 
lished, contained  each  issue  sixteen  pages,  size  six  by  nine 
and  one-half  inches,  place  of  publication  being  New  Carlisle, 
Ohio.  Later  the  paper  made  its  home  in  Springfield,  Ohio, 
edited  by  Rev.  Messrs.  James  Williamson  and  James  W.  Mar- 
vin. A  succession  of  able  men  filled  its  editorship,  giving  the 
paper  a  wide  influence.  Its  backing  was  substantial  enough 
that  publication  continued  until  18G8,  when  it  was  merged  with 
the  Herald  of  Gospel  Lil)erty,  organ  of  the  East.  In  Canada 
also  requisition  was  made  upon  printers'  ink  to  forward  the 

1  Walter,  p.  259.       Gardner,  p.  92. 


2^+j  =  t,  _. 


y.^'^ 


--    2  -■  -  ~  "^  ^ 


-  r  2 .  •  "E  *^  £ 

-■  "g  ~  £  o  >  I 


- 

-    Q'  '•    -    ^ 

~ 

»J 

X 

<-. 

5,   2        — 

c 

•:u 

3^"r'2i^'_ 

X 

— 

~  ?  ~  c  ~ 

— 

— 

''•  r   X  ■ 


PAMPHLETEERING  153 

cause.  The  Ontario  Conference  at  one  time  organized  itself 
for  publishing-  business,  but  was  not  able  to  fultill  its  wish  until 
1845,  when  William  Noble  began  the  Canadian  Christian 
Luminary  at  Oshawa,  Ontario.^  That  light  shone  four  years 
and  then  sank  into  the  Christian  Palladium.  Thus  far  we  have 
traced  the  course  of  publications  most  of  which  were  ultimately 
combined  with  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  the  chief  exception 
being  the  Christian  8ii)i,  published  in  the  South.  Another 
exception  should  here  be  noted.  Barton  W.  Stone  began 
publishing  the  Christian  Messenger  in  Georgetown,  Kentucky, 
in  1826,  issuing  it  with  some  interruption  until  his  death  in 
November,  1844,  after  he  had  moved  to  Jacksonville,  Illinois. 
This  paper  at  first  contained  twenty-two  pages,  size  four  and 
one-half  by  seven  inches.  Stone  was  a  scholarly  and  accom- 
plished controversialist.  His  paper  was  very  ably  conducted 
and  influential,  although  lacking  the  dash  which  Smith  and 
Shaw  put  into  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty  and  Badger  put 
into  the  Christian  Palladium. 

Completeness  has  not  been  aimed  at  in  the  foregoing 
recital,  but  sufficient  has  been  said  to  show  how  forward  early 
promoters  of  the  Christian  denomination  were  in  religious 
journalism.  Their  record  was  one  of  which  nobody  need  be 
ashamed.- 

PAMPHLETEERING 

Elias  Smith  was  a  voluminous  pamphleteer,  and  quickly 
met  every  attack  or  challenge  with  a  sermon  which  was  printed 
and  widely  circulated.  By  this  comparatively  inexpensive 
method  he  flung  quick  answers  to  hosts  of  enemies  hounding 
his  tracks.  Other  men  followed  the  same  plan,  and  a  consid- 
erable literature  in  ephemeral  brochure  and   pamphlet  form 

^  Thomas  Henry  Is  usually  regarded  as  the  party  responsible  for  this  publica- 
tion. *  A  complete  history  of  both  The  Christian  Publishing  Association  and 
the  periodicals  which  have  contributed  to  the  present  Herald  of  Oospcl  Liberty 
may  be  consulted  in  the  "Centennial  of  Religious  Journalism,"  pp.  451-479, 
and  In  the  "Christian  Annual"  for  1909. 


154  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

sprang  into  existence  among  the  Christians.  James  O'Kelly 
in  the  South  issued  several  works  in  that  form,  including  his 
treatise  on  baptism.  Tracts  emanated  from  other  pens  briefly 
detailing  the  breach  with  the  Methodists,  or  defending  the 
Christians'  position.^  Stone  and  his  co-religionists  in  Ken- 
tucky printed  their  "Apology"  in  a  small  booklet  for  quick 
and  general  circulation.  In  the  South,  North  and  West,  in 
the  first  instance,  pamphleteering  was  resorted  to  for  apologetic 
purposes,  and  secondarily  for  general  propagandism. 

EARLY  BOOKS 

O'Kelly  and  Smith  also  led  the  way  in  authorship  of  books. 
A  dozen  titles  are  linked  with  the  name  of  the  former.-  Prob- 
ably his  ''Apology"  was  most  famous.  The  bibliography 
published  in  '"Modern  Light  Bearers"  contains  over  forty  titles 
of  books,  booklets,  published  sermons,  and  minor  works,  rang- 
ing in  date  from  1804  to  1837,^  composed  by  Smith.  He 
regarded  his  ''New  Testament  Dictionary"  as  his  greatest  work, 
and  he  spent  much  time  on  it  to  the  detriment  of  his  health. 
The  volume  of  sermons  on  prophecy,  which  were  struck  off  at 
white  heat,  afforded  him  great  joy  and  mental  exhilaration. 
His  autobiography  is  a  very  readable  book,  letting  readers  right 
into  the  man's  heart. 

One  of  the  most  extensively  circulated  of  early  publications 
among  the  Christians  was  Rev.  William  Kinkade's  "The  Bible 
Doctrine,"  an  orignal,  forceful  theological  work,  issued  first  in 
1829,  re-printed  several  times  since.       Rev.  David  Millard's 

'Among  others  may  be  mentioned  John  West,  Benjamin  Ralney,  Daniel 
Stringer,  Wiiliam  Guirey,  William  Lanphier,  Peter  Culpepper,  Rice  Haggard, 
Jonathan   Foster. — Chris.   Sun,  December   14,    1910.  =  The   Author's  Apology 

for  Protesting  Against  the  Methodist  E')iscopal  Government ;  Vindication  of  an 
Apology  ;  Divine  Oracles  Consulted  :  Christicola  ;  The  Christian  Church  ;  Anno- 
tation on  His  Book  of  Discipline ;  Letters  from  Heaven  Consulted ;  Tract  on 
Baptism  ;    A  Tract  on   Slavery. — MacClenny,   pp.   177-179.  »  The  most  note- 

worthy are  :  The  Clergyman's  Looking  Glass  ;  The  Whole  World  Governed  by  a 
Jew;  The  Doctrine  of  the  Prince  of  Peace  and  His  Servants:  Ihe  Age  of 
Enquiry  ;  Christian's  Pocket  Companion  and  Daily  Assistant ;  Sermons  Containing 
an  illustration  of  the  Prophecies  ;  The  History  of  Anti-Christ :  New  Testament 
Dictionary ;  The  Life.  Conversion,  Preaching,  Travels  and  Sufferings  of  Elias 
Smith  ;  Tlie  Medical  Pocket  Book  ;  The  American  Physician  and  Family  Assistant ; 
the  People's  Book.^Modern  Light  Bearers,  pp.  213-218. 


HYMNOLOGY  155 

"The  True  Messiah,"  dealing  largely  with  Trinitarian  doctrines, 
but  expounding  the  author's  idea  of  "the  proper  Son  of  God," 
passed  through  two  editions,  the  first  in  182IJ.  Another  early 
treatise  against  Trinitarianism  was  Rev,  Charles  Morgridge's 
"The  True  lieliever's  Defense,"  from  the  press  in  1837.  Wil- 
liam Guirey,  of  Virginia,  wrote  a  "History  of  Episcopacy," 
publislu'd  before  ISOS.  embodying  an  account  of  the  rise  of  the 
Christians  in  the  South.  "Letters  to  a  Universalist,"  by  P.  R 
Russell,  reached  a  third  edition  in  1848,^ 

IIYMNOLOGY 

All  Christian  reformers  have  been  quick  to  discern  the 
value  of  song,  and  getting  people  to  commit  tenets  couched  in 
lyrics  to  memory.  This  field  was  cultivated  among  the  Chris- 
tians and  with  astonishing  results.  Early  leaders  compiled 
hymn  books  for  public  worship,  and  even  wrote  creditable 
hymns.  Abner  Jones,  of  phlegmatic  temperament  and  scien- 
tific training,  yet  courted  the  muse.  In  collaboration  with 
Elias  Smith  he  published  "Hymns,  Original  and  Selected,  for 
the  Use  of  Christians,"  issuing  the  same  at  Portland,  Me.,  in 
1805.  This  book  was  later  revised,  and  as  "Smith  and  Jones' 
Hymn  Book"  had  reached  its  seventh  edition  in  1816.  It  w^as 
a  small  pocket  volume.  ^Meantime  Smith  put  out  a  small 
volume  called  "Songs  of  the  Redeemed,  for  Follow^ers  of  the 
Lord ;"  and  subsequently  compiled  "A  Collection  of  Hymns  for 
the  Use  of  Christians,"  which  was  published  at  Boston,  and 
sold  by  Manning  &  Loring. 

James  O'Kelly's  "Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs"  was  printed 
by  the  Minerva  Press,  at  Raleigh,  X.  C,  in  181fi,  and  was  a 
compilation  of  established  merit.  That  eccentric  evangelist 
and  knight  errant,  Joseph  Thomas,  best  known  as  the  "White 
Pilgrim,"  gave  the  public  a  volume  in  1815  entitled  "The  Pil- 
grim's Hymn  Book."      At  the  earnest  solicitation  of  friends, 

'  See  Ap..  p.  382. 


156  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Rev.  Mills  Barrett,  of  Virginia,  gathered  two  hundred  and 
twenty-two  hymns  which  he  published  in  1828  at  Norfolk,  with 
the  title,  "Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs,  Selected  for  the  Use 
of  Christians,  by  Mills  Barrett." 

David  Millard,  of  New  York,  preacher,  author,  traveler, 
theological  professor,  was  highly  regarded  as  a  composer  of 
lyrics.  In  1830  ''The  Millard  and  Badger  Hymn  Book"  was 
published  by  the  compilers.  It  was  much  used  in  New  York 
state,  and  contained  a  number  of  Millard's  original  composi- 
tions. Matthew  Gardner,  of  Ohio,  published  a  hymn  book 
which  reached  its  eighth  edition.^ 

These  are  a  few  noteworthy  productions  among  many 
which  might  be  mentioned.  Like  modern  gospel  songs,  the 
books  and  hymns  they  contained  had  their  vogue  and  then  fell 
into  disuse.  Here  is  no  place  for  a  bibliography,  but  to  point 
out  this  fact,  namely,  that  the  fathers  of  the  Christian  Church 
were  not  a  whit  behind  others  in  using  printer's  ink  to  forward 
their  cause. 

1  TTie  author  of  this  history  has  copies  of  several  of  the  earlier  hymn  boolss  ; 
the  matter  pertaining  to  others  has  been  casually  found  during  search  for  data 
for  this  worl?.  Not  mentioned  above  were  the  hymn  books  issued  by  Frederick 
Plummer,  Jasper  Hazen  and  John  Raud,  John  McKenzie,  and  Robert  Foster. 
"The  Christian  Psalmist"  was  being  sold  by  the  Christian  Herald  in  1849. 
See  also  Ap.,  p.  382. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  VI 

Christian  Herald,  Vols.  I-XVI.     1818-1835. 

Gospel  Luminary,  Vols.  I-III,  and  new  series,  Vols.  I-VI.  1825- 
1833. 

Christian  Palladium,  Vols.  I-XIX.      1832-1851. 

Modern  Light  Bearers,  edited  by  J.  P.  Barrett,  D.  D..  before  cited. 

Centennial  of  Religious  Journalism,  edited  by  J.  P.  Barrett.  D.  D., 
before  cited. 

Christian  Sun,  edited  by  J.  O.  Atkinson.  D.  D.,  December  14,  1910. 

Life  of  Rev.  James  O'Kelly,  by  W.  E.  MacClenny,  Ph.  B.,  before  cited. 

A  very  full  history  of  the  Publishing  Interests  will  be  found  in  the 
Christian  Annual  for  1909. 

Memoir  of  Elijah  Shaw,  by  his  daughter.      L.  J.  Shaw,  Boston,  1852. 


CHAPTER  VII 


CHAPTER  VII 

Revival  in  Secondary  Education — Early  Schools — 
Sunday-schools 

1826-18J,9 

POSTERITY  always  finds  satisfaction  in  looking  back  and 
thinking  how  rude  and  half-baked  the  fathers  were,  and 
how  inferior  their  advantages.  The  substance  of  this 
chapter  is  likely  to  excite  such  comparison.  However  that 
may  be,  one  fact  has  almost  escaped  observation,  namely,  that 
an  educational  revival  preceded  a  fully  developed  denomina- 
tional consciousness.  The  revival  was  of  secondary  or  aca- 
demic education. 

Misapprehension  has  arisen  about  the  early  leaders'  atti- 
tude toward  education.  There  never  was  among  the  Christians 
hostility  toward  education  itself.  The  ministers,  who  were 
leaders  and  moulders  of  sentiment,  being  endowed  with  much 
natural  ability,  educated  as  much  or  more  than  the  people 
among  whom  they  moved,  thrust  into  positions  where  native 
genius  had  free  play  and  abundant  stimulus,  gave  good  account 
of  themselves  and  thorough  proof  of  their  ministry.  They 
were  peers  of  any  ministry  in  the  country  in  all  respects  except 
theological  training.  They  were  educated,  and  believed  in 
education. 

But,  like  the  founders  of  this  movement,  they  were  in  open 
revolt  against  the  prevalent  theological  training.  When  edu- 
cation became  handmaid  of  priestcraft  and  ecclesiastical 
oppression  and  a  clerical  guild,  they  opposed  it  strenuously. 
The  very  genius  of  their  movement  and  key  to  its  success  was 
using  a  ministry  not  profcsfiionalh/  trained.  They  heartily 
believed  that  God  could  summon  men  from  common  callings 


160  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

and  by  His  grace  equip  them  for  ministry,  an  itinerant  minis- 
try, an  evangelistic  mission  which  they  deemed  apostolic  or 
like  it.  And  hundreds  of  ministers  plunged  among  the  masses 
around  them,  with  surprising  results.  The  idea  of  a  ministry 
not  professionally  trained,  not  fed  and  fattened  upon  dogmatic, 
schismatic,  sectarian  theology,  was  amply  vindicated.  From 
every  community  and  section  where  those  men  labored  came 
reports  of  revivals  and  reformations,  churches  organized,  and 
conferences  formed. 

Who  would  expect  people  who  revolted  against  ecclesias- 
tical oppression  to  countenance  schools  under  sectarian 
auspices,  where  every  student  acquired  a  sectarian  shibboleth? 
But  when  common  education  advanced,  and  ministers  with 
liberal  culture  were  demanded  for  city  congregations  and  posi- 
tions where  scholarship  counted,  the  fathers  realized  that  their 
youth,  and  especially  those  designated  for  the  ministry,  could 
receive  training  according  to  liberal  Christian  principles 
espoused  by  the  denomination,  and  yet  training  on  a  par  with 
that  of  sectarian  schools. 

That  such  education  had  been  neglected  among  the  Chris- 
tians was  freely  charged  by  their  leading  men.  The  point 
of  progress  reached  persistently  thrust  the  educational  subject 
into  their  faces.  With  erection  of  organizations  and  institu- 
tions arose  the  educational  need,  and  not  before.  And,  nat- 
urally, their  first  thought  was  for  training  of  high  school  and 
academic  grades.  The  subject  became  a  general  theme  of 
discussion  in  all  parts  of  the  country,  resulting  in  plans  for 
many  high  schools,  industrial  schools  and  academies.  A  few 
plans  were  realized,  and  with  them  we  have  to  do  in  this 
chapter. 

Barton  W.  Stone,  a  man  of  scholarly  attainments,  as  we 
have  seen,  for  years  engaged  in  educational  work,  even  after 
embarking  in  the  Christian  ministry.  About  ISll  he  was 
principal  of  a  high  school  in  Lexington,  Ky.,  which  secured  a 


REVIVAL  IN  SECONDARY  EDUCATION  161 

larger  patronage  tliau  Transylvania  University.^  Some 
months  later  he  became  master  of  Rittenhouse  Academy, 
Georgetown,  Ky.,  attracting  some  pupils  from  Lexington. 
His  academy  was  probably  patronized  both  for  its  religious 
character  and  its  high  grade  of  work.  Later  Stone  conducted 
a  successful  ])rivate  school  in  Georgetown.- 

A  man  of  considerable  scholarly  attainments,  Rev.  Daniel 
W.  Kerr,  lived  and  labored  in  North  Carolina,  adding  great 
strength  to  the  cause  in  that  section.  He  was  a  linguist  and 
Biblical  scholar,  and  withal  was  gifted  with  large  executive 
ability.  In  182r)  Wake  Forest-Pleasant  Grove  Academy,  a 
few  miles  north  of  Raleigh,  was  established,  with  Kerr  as 
principal.  It  had  a  long  up-hill  struggle;  but  lack  of  equip- 
ment and  scanty  fare  were  more  than  offset  by  Kerr's  presence 
and  instruction.  About  1838  Junto  Academy,  in  a  North 
Carolina  town  called  Junto,  on  Elder  Kerr's  farm,  was  incor- 
porated, with  himself  as  principal.  Here  too  were  primitive 
conditions — three  log  houses,  two  dormitories  and  a  recitation 
building.  Most  interesting  traditions  are  extant  touching  the 
founding  of  this  academy  and  erection  of  buildings,  involving 
privations  and  providential  experiences.  Fire  destroyed  one 
building;  and  sectarian  advocates  stooped  to  slander  and 
cripple  Kerr's  school,  which  he  advertised  as  an  unsectarian 
Christian  school.  In  three  or  four  years  fifty  students  were 
in  attendance.  Junto  Academy  became  ^It.  Zion  Academy 
for  young  men,  and  was  removed  to  Pittsboro,  N.  C,  about 

1849.  Elder  Kerr  was  stricken  with  apoplexy  and  died  in 

1850,  and  the  school  did  not  survive  his  death.^ 

At  the  North,  in  1834,  Elder  Z.  Toby  projected  a  Christian 
Academy  at  Portsmouth,  R.  I.,  to  which  Rev.  Ellery  Channing, 
D.  D..  the  famous  Unitarian  divine,  gave  fifty  dollars.  In 
August,  of  that  year,  a  convention  in  New  England,  held  for 
the  purpose,   appointed   a   board  of  visitors  for   Mr.   Toby's 

1  Stone,  p.  69.  =  Ibid.,  p.  70.  «  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  IV,  p.  343.     Chris. 

Snn,  Jannary  2.5,  1911. 


162  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

school,  charged  with  the  duty  of  investigating  the  feasibility 
of  manual  training.  The  school  was  actually  started  in 
September.  Next  year  conference  voted  to  raise  ten  thousand 
dollars  for  an  academy  building,  and  seven  thousand  for  a 
"boarding  house."  ^  The  same  year  Rev.  Joshua  V.  Himes 
issued  a  proposal  for  a  Manual  Labor  School  in  New  England, 
laying  his  plans  before  the  Massachusetts  Christian  Conference, 
Massachusetts  Christian  Benevolent  Society,  and  other  bodies. 
An  effort  to  combine  manual  training  with  Toby's  school  set 
Himes'  proposal  back  for  a  time;  but  finally  the  New  England 
Manual  Labor  School  was  located  at  Lynn,  Mass.,  and  J.  V. 
Himes,  P.  R.  Russell,  S.  D.  Robbin,  W.  Andrew,  and  S.  Brown 
were  selected  as  a  committee  to  raise  ten  thousand  dollars  for 
it.  Later  this  school,  then  named  New  England  Christian 
Academy,  was  located  at  Beverly,  Mass.,  and  opened  for 
instruction  in  June,  1836,  with  John  B.  Wright  as  principal. 
The  manual  labor  consisted  of  farming  and  shoemaking.  This 
school  gradually  declined  for  lack  of  proper  support,  and  both 
this  and  Toby's  school  soon  went  out  of  existence  - 

In  New  York  state  the  Christians  did  not  open  the  earliest 
schools,  but  patronized  others  that  they  could  approve.  For 
example,  about  1834  Charles  Brown  and  associates  opened  a 
school  in  Denmark,  Lewis  County,  which  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian denomination  vrere  urged  to  patronize.  A  year  later  a 
Mr.  Whitaker  was  conducting  a  school  in  Henrietta,  Monroe 
County,  which  was  patronized  by  the  Christians.^ 

But  in  1835  buildings  were  erected  at  Union  Mills,  N.  Y., 
and  under  the  principalship  of  J.  B.  Gleason  an  academy  was 
opened  for  instruction,  designed  chiefly  for  young  ladies,  and 
had  accommodations  for  about  seventy-five.  This  school  was 
not  entirely  satisfactory,  for  in  1839  the  people  of  Union  Mills 

1  Chris.  Pan.,  Vol.  Ill,  pp.  54,  161,  329.  About  1836  Elder  Toby  joined 
tbe  Baptist  Cburch,  and  his  school  ceased  to  be  regarded  as  a  denominational 
school  of  the  Christians.  =  Ibid..  Vol.,  Ill,  p.  105  and  Vol.  V,  pp.  63,  184. 

9  Ibid..  Vol.  IV,  pp.  59,  120. 


REVIVAL  IN  SECONDARY  EDUCATION  163 

organized  a   Female  Seminary,   opened   in  December  of  that 
year  under  the  direction  of  Miss  May  A.  Andruss.^ 

A  project  promising  rather  more  permanence  was  fathered 
by  the  New  York  Central  Christian  (V)nrerence,  and  known  as 
Honeyoye  Falls  Select  School,  under  a  Mr.  Polk,  of  Vermont, 
which  began  in  1831),  with  eighty  ,pupils.  But  like  other 
similar  projects,  it  did  not  have  sufficient  financial  backing.  == 

Prior  to  1840  there  had  been  agitation  for  a  school  in  New 
Hampshire  and  a  committee  of  the  New  Hampshire  Conference 
had  been  appointed  to  consider  the  question.  They  reported 
in  1840  two  thousand  dollars  secured  and  an  academy  located 
at  Upper  Gilmanton,  now  Belmont.  Conference,  however, 
decided  to  locate  at  Durham  (which  place  has  since  become  the 
seat  of  New  Hampshire  Agricultural  College),  a  favorable 
location  for  an  educational  institution.  The  Conference  also 
appointed  a  committee  to  establish  the  academy  and  set  it  in 
operation,  with  Rev.  O.  B.  Cheney,  later  president  of  Bates 
College,  as  principal.  The  Durham  school  was  established 
and  existed  for  a  dozen  years  or  more,  but  gradually  declined 
and  quit.^^  Elder  Wm.  Demeritt,  of  Durham,  did  more  for  it 
than  any  other  individual. 

In  the  year  1840  the  New  York  Central  Conference  made 
another  venture  and  with  better  success.  It  founded  a  school 
at  Eddytown,  now  called  Lakemont,  in  the  town  of  Starkey, 
on  Seneca  Lake,  called  ''The  Seminary  of  the  New  York  Central 
Christian  Conference."  A  committee  was  elected  to  present 
plans  and  solicit  funds.  Next  year  more  than  seven  thousand 
dollars  had  been  subscribed,  and  the  building  committee  called 
for  bids.  In  1841  a  more  definite  name,  "Starkey  Seminary," 
was  adopted,  called  after  the  town  above  mentioned,  where  Rev. 
Ezra  Marvin,  a  leader  in  the  enterprise,  was  pastor.  Marvin 
was  a  very  energetic  young  man,  and  through  him  money  was 
raised  to  purchase  land  for  a  building  site.      Starkey  Seminary 

234.  '  ^''■'^.  iK-Vol'  I^pj:-  AWs^'-    ^"^'   P-   ''''  '  I^'^-.    vol.    VIII.   p. 


164  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

was  opened  in  November,  1842,  Rev.  Charles  Morgridge  being 
principal.  From  that  time  to  the  present  this  Seminary  has 
endured,  having  a  long  and  honorable  career.  At  some  periods 
it  has  declined,  at  others  thriven.  Prof.  Edmund  Chadwick, 
a  Bowdoin  man,  an  educator  of  large  ability  and  training^ 
became  principal  in  1847.  Under  him  the  school  was  char- 
tei-ed,  equipped  with  library  and  apparatus,  and  shared  in 
state  educational  funds.  During  his  management  a  large 
patronage  was  secured  and  a  large  corps  of  assistants  main- 
tained.     His  leadership  terminated  in  18G1.^ 

In  the  South  a  private  school  was  established  by  Rev.  John 
R.  Holt  about  1837,  which  he  conducted  in  Alamance  County. 
North  Carolina,  until  1840,  when  he  moved  to  the  vicinity  of 
Graham,  noAV  a  thriving  city  and  county  seat.  After  an  inter- 
regnum of  three  years  he  re-opened  his  school  in  1845,  and  three 
years  later  moved  into  Graham.  Graham  Institute  was 
largely  the  creation  of  Holt,  and  was  the  first  strictly  church 
school  of  the  denomination  in  the  South.  In  a  subsequent 
chapter  the  outgrowth  of  this  institution  will  be  traced.  In 
1849  the  question  of  establishing  an  educational  institution  at 
Graham  came  before  the  North  Carolina  and  Virginia  Confer- 
ence, being  referred  to  a  committee  of  six,  of  which  Holt  was 
chairman.  The  committee  recommended  and  Conference  pro- 
ceeded to  establish  such  an  institution.  A  building  was 
already  under  construction  at  Graham  in  the  year  18.50.- 

An  institution  of  more  pretentious  character  was  projected 
at  Lafayette,  Ind.,  in  1842,  known  as  Lafayette  University. 
Trustees  were  elected  for  the  corporation,  and  in  1843  active 
solicitation  for  funds  began.  A  year  later  building  material 
was  ordered  with  a  view  to  building  operations  in  the  spring 
of  1845.  However,  this  enterprise  encountered  financial  and 
unforeseen  difficulties,  and  never  yielded  results  to  the  Indiana 

1  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  IX,  pp.  89,  198,  316.  »  Chris.  Sun,  January  25,  1911. 


SUNDAY-SCHOOLS  168 

brotherhood  who  planned  the  school.  Lafayette  is  now  the 
home  of  Purdue  University.^ 

The  schools  mentioned  in  the  foregoing,  which  really 
0{)ened  for  business,  made  creditable  showing,  several  of  them 
being  headed  by  men  of  first-rate  repute.  None  failed  on  the 
score  of  scholarship  or  educational  standards.  But  in  general 
those  schools  were  hurriedly  launched;  they  commanded  a  local 
patronage  only ;  they  were  not  properly  financed  and  endowed. 
In  some  cases  it  must  be  confessed,  moral  backing  was  not 
afl'orded  by  a  supposedly  interested  constituency,  and  disaster 
followed. 

In  the  literature  of  this  period  we  find  mention  of  proposed 
academies  in  Ohio  and  other  states;  but  definite  information 
is  lacking.  Enough  has  been  adduced  to  show  how  general 
was  the  awakening  for  secondary  and  liberal  educational  insti- 
tutions.     The  sequel  will  be  detailed  in  another  chapter. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOLS 

Less  data  are  available  concerning  the  introduction  of 
Sunday-schools  into  the  Christian  denomination  than  concern- 
ing other  departments  of  the  work.  That  general  skepticism 
blocked  the  early  Sunday-school  is  generally  recognized.  Boys 
and  girls  privileged  to  enjoy  the  delightful  modern  church 
school,  held  in  specially  constructed  and  equipped  school  rooms, 
with  attractive  literature  and  appliances,  can  hardly  imagine 
what  the  first  schools  were  like.  In  organization  they  were 
not  so  dissimilar;  but  in  conducting  class  work  and  other 
respects  there  was  wide  difference.  Boys  and  girls  in  those 
days  committed  to  memory,  week  by  week,  passages  and  chap- 
ters of  the  Bible  until  whole  books  were  memorized.  Class 
work  consisted  of  reciting  what  had  been  learned,  with  a 
modicum  of  exposition.  lesson  leaflets  and  cards  were  not 
their  never-failing  reliances.  A  catechism  was  in  frequent 
use\  and  a  select  means  for  imparting  doctrine  according  to 

^  Gos.  Her.,  Vol.  I,  pp.  2").  296.       Vol.  II,  pp.  41,  232. 


166  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

denominational  bias.  Congregational  singing  was  cultivated, 
and  concert  exercises  were  common.  But  considerable  of  the 
brightness  and  attractiveness  of  modern  schools  was  absent, 
notwithstanding  sessions  were  then  enjoyable  and  profitable. 
The  science  of  pedagogy  had  not  been  developed  and  taught 
to  teachers  then ;  neither  had  child-study  become  common.  Good 
teachers  were  in  every  school,  although  their  well-intentioned 
efiforts  were  not  always  wise  or  profitable.  The  era  of  teacher 
training  dates  but  a  few  years  back.  And  after  all  has  been 
said,  that  stalwart  Christians  were  reared  in  early  Sunday- 
schools  must  be  freely  admitted;  and  the  storing  in  memory 
of  choice  Scripture  was  an  excellent  idea. 

The  Sunday-school  in  America  dates  back  as  far  as  1683. 
The  Sunday-school  Association  of  the  State  of  Ohio  instituted 
investigation  to  discover  the  facts,  and  the  following  statement 
will  doubtless  be  a  revelation  to  some  of  the  readers  of  this 
history : 

''The  town  records  of  Newton,  Long  Island,  show  that  Rev. 
Morgan  Jones  established  a  Sunday-school  there  February  28, 
1683 — fifty-two  years  before  Robert  Raikes  was  born.  But  it 
is  not  certain  that  even  this  was  the  first  Sunday-school  in 
America.  A  writer  in  the  Historical  Maga::ine  says  that  in 
1674  the  Puritans  had  a  Sunday-school  in  Roxbury,  Mass. 
There  seems,  however,  to  be  no  authority  for  this  beyond  the 
mere  statement ;  but  the  town  records  of  Newton,  Long  Island, 
are  copied  in  full  in  "Thompson's  History,"  a  very  rare  book 
at  this  day,  so  there  can  be  no  doubt  as  to  the  date  of  the 
establishment  of  Morgan  Jones'  Sunday-school."  ^ 

A  school  was  organized  at  Marietta,  Ohio,  in  1791,  and  one 
hundred  years  later  the  Ohio  Sunday  School  Association  met 
there  to  celebrate  the  anniversary.  In  Philadelphia  and 
Boston  schools  were  established  also  in  1791.^  But  as  an 
institution  the  Sunday-school  found  but  scant  favor  and  spread 

^  See  Ap.,  p.  383.  =  Records  of  the  Ohio  State  S.  S.  Assn.,  1887  and  1891. 

See  Ap.  for  further  information.  =  McMaster,  Vol.  II,  p.  84. 


SUNDAY-SCHOOLS  167 

but  slowly.  By  Christian  ministers  it  was  at  first  denounced 
as  a  device  for  propagating  sectarianism.  ]\[ore  than  a  quarter 
century  elapsed  before  Cliristiau  churches  allowed  prejudice  to 
vanish,  and  recognized  the  potency  of  Sunday-schools  for  good. 
When  and  where  the  first  schools  among  the  Christians 
were  established  is  unknown.  From  a  note  in  the  Christian 
Herald  it  seems  almost  certain  that  the  Christian  church  in 
Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  had  a  Sunday-school.^  In  early  summer 
1S2(),  a  Sunday-school  was  organized  in  the  Christian  church  of 
Kittery,  Me.,  a  historic  town  just  across  the  harbor  from  Ports- 
mouth. Kittery  was  then  the  home  and  pastorate  of  the 
eccentric  and  terribly-in-earnest  Elder  Mark  Fernald.  Judg- 
ing by  references  in  his  autobiography,  the  school  grew  rapidly.^ 
There  exists  a  constitution  of  the  Xorth  Sabbath  School  Society 
connected  with  the  First  Christian  Society  of  New  Bedford, 
Mass.,  adopted  in  1832.  In  a  prefatory  remark  the  Executive 
Board  states  that  that  school  had  been  running  since  1827,  and 
the  new  regime  was  merely  to  improve  it.  Within  a  few 
months  its  enrollment  more  than  doubled  and  was  two  hundred 
and  eighty-five.  A  good  library  and  regular  classes  in  singing 
were  reported.  Doubtless  other  schools  were  instituted  in 
sister  churches.  We  are  almost  sure  that  Boston  Christian 
churches  had  schools  earlier  than  any  of  the  foregoing.  Hav- 
erhill, Mass.,  1820,  Woodstock,  Vt.,  1830,  New  York  City,  1834, 
Hixville,  Mass.,  1835,  Lynn,  Mass.,  1837,  Long  Plain,  Mass., 
1837,  Smith's  Mills,  Mass..  1837,  are  places  and  dates  of  early 
organizations.  Providence,  R.  I.,  had  a  school  before  1838.^* 
Newburyport,  ]\rass.,  church  was  formed  in  1840,  and  must  have 
had  a  school  about  the  same  time.  The  Christians  reported 
forty  schools  in  Nevr  England  in  1848.  Naturally,  since  the 
movement  started  in  Atlantic  coast  cities,  it  worked  slowly 
westward   and   southward.       Testimony  is   strikingly  similar 

'  Chris.    Iler..    Vol.    I.    p.    70.         Schools    in    other    towns    are    mentioned. 
=  Fern  a  Id,      pp.      100,      225.  •''Experience     and      Personal      Recollections      of 

Elder  Samuel  Wilde,  p.  15.  This  man  was  the  first  of  whom  we  have  record,  in 
the  denomination,  who  set  himself  "t»  organize  and  promote  Sabbath  schools." 
P.  16. 


168  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

from  all  sections,  however,  to  the  effect  that  the  Christians 
were  very  backward  in  adopting  the  Sunday-school. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Christian  Palladium  in  1835 
remarked  that  the  Sunday-school  institution  had  been  generally 
denounced  in  former  days  by  ministers  of  the  Christian  denom- 
ination, but  was  then  being  encouraged  by  them.^  A  dozen 
years  later  a  writer  in  the  Gospel  Herald  said  that  Sunday- 
schools  were  few  in  the  West.  He  urged  their  multiplication, 
remarking :  "It  cannot  be  sectarian  to  teach  children  to  read 
the  Scriptures."  -  Of  similar  import  was  testimony  from  the 
South,  where  repeatedly  churches  were  urged  to  adopt  Sabbath 
schools. 

To  the  Christians  a  catechetical  method  of  inculcating 
sectarian  doctrine  was  especially  obnoxious;  but  in  process  of 
time  a  modified  catechetical  idea  was  worked  out  and  used  in 
Christian  Sunday-schools.  In  1844  Rev.  Philemon  R.  Russell 
issued  ''Scriptural  Manual,  or  Questions  on  Select  Portions  of 
the  Four  Evangelists:  Containing  the  History  of  the  Life  of 
Christ,"  Vol.  I ;  and  "Scriptural  Manual,  or  Questions  on  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles;  being  a  Connected  History  of  their 
Travels  and  Preaching,"  Vol.  II.  These  were  small  pocket 
volumes  of  one  hundred  eight  pages.  The  same  year  he 
issued  a  smaller,  distinctly  catechetical  book,  called,  "The 
Primary  Scriptural  Manual,  designed  to  Illustrate  the  Char- 
acter of  Cod  and  the  Nature  of  His  Moral  Government,  as 
administered  by  His  Son  Jesus  Christ,"  containing  about  sixty 
pages.  These  books  were  used  in  the  East.  Years  later, 
namely,  in  18.50  and  1862,  the  New  England  Christian  Sunday 
School  Association  published  two  small  books  entitled  respec- 
tively, "Lessons  of  Love.  First  Question  Book  for  Little 
Children  in  the  School  of  Christ,"  and  "Jesus,  the  Messiah. 
A  Historical  Question  Book."  All  these  manuals  were  a  step 
in  advance  of  mere  memorizing  of  Scripture.       Subsequent  to 

1  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  V,  p.  312.  =  Gos.  Her.,  Vol.  IV,  p.  262. 


SUNDAY-SCHOOLS  169 

the  Civil  War  Rev.  C.  A.  Apple  published  a  Manual  for  Sunday- 
school  use  in  the  South.  But  within  a  year  or  two  the  Inter- 
national Lesson  System  came  into  use  and  supplanted  these 
catechisms  and  manuals. 

As  yet  the  Christians  had  no  quarterlies  or  papers  for 
Sunday-school  use.  Their  history  belongs  to  a  later  period. 
And  how  the  Sunday-school  idea  grew  and  what  place  it  came 
to  occupy  in  the  American  Christian  Convention  will  also  be 
subjects  for  later  treatment. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  \1l 

Gospel  Herald,  Vols.  I,  IV,  XVI. 

Christian  Palladium,  Vols.  Ill,  IV,  V,  VIII,  IX. 

Christian  Sun,  January  25,  and  February  8,  1911. 

Christian  Regrister  and  Almanac  for  1842  and  1840. 

Life  of  Elder  Mark  Fernald.  written  by  himself. 

Memoir  of  Rev.  .loseph  Badger,  by  E.  G.  Holland. 

Lives  of  Christian  Ministers,  by  P.  J.  Kernodle,  M.  A. 

History  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  N.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

For  full  data  about  these  works  consult  previous  list  of  sources. 


CHAPTER  VIII 


CHAPTER  VIII 

Continued  Growth — Principles  and  Polity 
18S3-1849 

ON  THE  eve  of  an  epoch-making  Convention  at  Marion, 
X.  Y.,  in  1850,  we  will  pause  to  survey  the  field  and  note 
growth  made  since  1832.  Two  avenues  of  information 
are  available — -first,  observing  where  conferences  were  organ- 
ized during  this  period,  which  would  locate  new  planting  and 
church  increase;  second,  published  statistics  preserved. 

In  the  span  of  eight  years  from  1832  to  1840,  conferences 
were  organized  or  re-organized  as  follows:  Philadelphia, 
embracing  a  group  of  churches  around  the  ''Quaker  city"  with 
nearly  six  hundred  members  in  1842 ;  Central  Pennsylvania ; 
Southern  Illinois  and  the  Wabash  country;  the  group  of 
churches  in  and  around  Boston,  Mass.;  a  crop  of  churches  of 
recent  planting  in  Michigan;  eastern  Maine;  western  New 
Jersey;  the  Spoon  River  country,  in  Illinois;  central  Indiana; 
Valley  of  Virginia,  northwestern  Ohio,  in  the  Auglaize  River 
country ;  eastern  and  western  Ontario  both  organized ;  eastern 
Ohio ;  the  Bluffton  district  of  eastern  Indiana ;  Union  Confer- 
ence in  Ohio,  making  six  organized  bodies  within  the  state 
except  that  most  of  Erie  Conference  lies  outside;  in  all  not 
less  than  seventeen  conferences  in  eight  years. 

During  the  next  decade  records  tell  of  even  more  confer- 
ence bodies  formed :  in  the  now  beautiful,  but  then  new  country 
of  eastern  Michigan,  with  a  group  of  twenty-three  churches ;  in 
southern  Wisconsin  and  northern  Illinois;  western  side  of  the 
Green  Mountains  in  Vermont;  and  eastern  side  of  the  same; 
western  Michigan ;  east  central  Ohio,  in  the  Mt.  Vernon  dis- 
trict; Huron,  in  northeastern  Ohio;  Western  Reserve  in  north- 


174  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

ern  Ohio ;  La  Porte  district  of  Indiana ;  York  and  Cumberland 
Counties  in  Maine;  amalgamation  of  Prairie  Creek  and  Cole 
Creek  Conferences  in  western  Indiana;  Tippecanoe  Conference 
in  northwestern  Indiana;  Eel  River  in  northeastern  Indiana; 
Tioga  River  country  of  southern  New  York  and  northern  Penn- 
sylvania; the  scattered  churches  in  Iowa,  chiefly  the  southern 
part;  the  Black  River  country  of  northern  New  Y^ork;  south 
central  Pennsylvania,  an  offshoot  of  the  Valley  of  Virginia ; 
Indiana  Union ;  southeastern  Michigan ;  the  northern  part  of 
Wisconsin,  only  a  year  after  the  first  church  in  that  section  was 
planted  at  Lomira  (Mound  Prairie)  ;  central  Virginia;  and  the 
more  inclusive  bodies,  the  New  England  Christian  Convention, 
and  Southern  Christian  Association.  Here  were  twenty-one 
new  conferences,  and  their  organization  speaks  plainly  of  the 
opening  of  the  great  West.^ 

Statistics  of  1849'  listed  about  eight  hundred  seventy-five 
churches,  and  nine  hundred  twenty-six  ministers  in  forty-five 
conferences.  Reports  were  inaccurate,  in  many  cases  entirely 
wanting,  and  the  total  membership  was  stated  at  thirty  thou- 
sand church  members — a  figure  that  must  be  too  low,  judging 
by  the  number  of  churches.  Perhaps  fifty  thousand,  or  a  little 
more,  would  be  nearly  right.  All  sorts  of  wild  estimates  were 
published.  In  nothing  is  looseness  of  organization  more 
apparent  than  in  the  scrappy  statistics  that  have  come  down 
to  the  present. 

Mention  should  be  made  of  the  numerical  loss  to  the 
Christians  through  the  Adventists,  during  this  period.  Wil- 
liam Miller,  a  farmer  of  Massachusetts,  and  a  converted  deist, 
member  of  a  Baptist  church  in  Low  Hampton,  N.  Y.,  began  his 
famous  Bible  studies  in  1818,  and  entered  the  ministry  in 
1831,  from  which  time  he  actively  propagated  his  views  con- 
cerning the  second  coming  of  Christ.  Thinking  that  he  had 
discovered  the  key  to  prophecy,  he  fixed  upon  the  year  1843 

1  See  Ap.,  p.  383.  *  See  Chris.  Reg.  for  1849. 


CONTINUED  GROWTH  175 

as  the  year  of  the  second  advent/  and  then  more  specifically 
iij>on  October  '22,  1844,  as  the  date.  Miller's  followers  increased 
with  remarkable  rapidity  throughout  New  England,  and  in 
eastern  New  York,  in  parts  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  New  Jersey, 
and  other  parts  of  the  country.  When  Miller  died,  in  1849, 
the  Adventists  were  estimated  to  be  50,000  strong.  They  are 
a  considerable  religious  body  to-day,  but  much  divided  among 
themselves  about  doctrinal  matters. 

A  perusal  of  the  denominational  literature  shows  that  the 
Christians  felt  the  Millerite  furore  in  the  sections  of  the  coun- 
try mentioned.  Some  of  the  leading  ministers,  and  the  editors 
of  the  periodicals,  exposed  the  fallacy  of  Miller's  reasoning; 
but  they  did  not  succeed  in  heading  off  a  considerable  stam- 
pede among  their  brethren.  Most  denominations  closed  their 
church  buildings  against  the  Millerites;  but  mindful  of  their 
own  experience,  the  Christians  opened  their  churches  to  advo- 
cates of  the  second  advent  doctrine.  In  an  incredibly  short 
time  many  ministers  among  the  Christians  were  swept  off  their 
feet  by  Miller's  views  concerning  j)rophecy,  and  began  to  preach 
his  and  their  own  vagaries.  During  the  forties  this  propaganda 
continued  unabated,  with  the  result  that  the  Christians  lost  a 
good  many  ministers,  who,  in  their  getting  ''out  of  Babylon," 
took  church  after  church  with  them.  Perhaps  the  Vermont 
conferences  met  with  the  greatest  loss.^  Early  conference 
records  preserve  the  names  of  about  one  hundred  churches  and 
nearly  as  many  ministers,  a  considerable  per  cent,  of  them 
known  to  have  embraced  Adventism.  Even  churches  that 
remained  were  partially  depleted,  larger  memberships  report- 
ing losses  of  fifty  to  one  hundred  members  in  a  single  year 
through  the  Adventists.  In  New  Hampshire  and  Maine  quite 
similar  conditions  obtained. 

When  the  failure  of  Miller's  predictions  had  sobered  them, 

'  Evidence  from  Scripture  and  History  of  the  Second  Coming  of  Christ  about 
the  year  1843,  by  William  Miller.  Published  by  Moses  A.  Dow,  Boston,  Mass.. 
1841.  '  See  Minutes  of  Vermont  Conferences,  subsequent  to  1843. 


176  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

a  part  of  the  defecting  members  returned  to  their  former 
church  relationships,  but  a  large  per  cent,  did  not,  and  many 
never  afterward  held  church  relationships.  What  other 
denominations  lost  through  the  Adventists  we  are  not  able  to 
say;  but  the  Christians  probably  lost  several  thousand  com- 
municants. It  is  likely  that  the  branch  of  Adventists  known 
as  "Advent  Christians"  owes  much  to  the  Christian  denom- 
ination. 

PRINCIPLES  AND  POLITY 

Before  1850  the  principles,  doctrinal  and  theological  tenets, 
and  general  polity  of  the  Christian  Church  had  become  clearly 
defined;  and  as  they  have  suffered  little  change  since,  here 
may  be  a  good  place  to  indicate  in  some  detail  what  the  Chris- 
tian movement  stood  for  then  and  still  stands  for.  The  task 
is  difficult,  if  one  writes  in  view  of  readers  entirely  unac- 
quainted with  the  Christians.  It  should  be  premised  also  that 
no  offiicial  statement  representing  the  whole  denomination  has 
ever  been  formulated  or  published,  and  what  is  here  written 
is  an  historian's  interpretation,  not  a  theologian's.  Dr.  Austin 
Craig's  address  before  the  New  Jersey  Christian  Conference, 
then  in  session  at  Camptown,  now  Irvington,  N.  J.,  in  18.50, 
has  become  a  classic  in  the  Christians'  literature,  and  expounds 
the  theologian's  view  of  their  position  in  a  masterly  way.^  But 
neither  that  address  nor  the  following  statement  have  any 
weight  except  as  interpretations. 

Before  1850  a  wide  departure  had  been  made,  in  one 
respect,  from  the  usage  of  the  earliest  leaders.  They  decried 
"speculative"  theology.  Elias  Smith  made  part  of  his  great 
fight  against  doctrinal  tenets  framed  under  tutelage  of  philos- 
ophy, especially  of  metaphysics.  His  cry  was,  in  effect,  "Back 
to  the  Scriptures!"  And  even  when  he  flirted  with  the 
Universalist   brethren,   he   still    held   fast   to   the   Bible,   and 

1  Life  and  Letters  of  Austin  Craig,  by  W.  S.  Harwood,  Chapter  VI. 


PRINCIPLES  AND  POLITY  177 

squared  his  Universalisiii  by  Jiis  uuderstanding  of  Sacred  Writ. 
When  the  now  famous  "union"  between  followers  of  B.  W. 
Stone  and  Alexander  Campbell  was  consummated  in  Kentucky, 
it  was  with  the  distinct  proviso  that  "sj»eculative"  teaching?  and 
preaching  should  be  eschewed,  that  i)Iain  Scriptural  doctrines 
and  practical  Christian  ethics  should  be  proclaimed  and  incul- 
cated. William  Kinkade's  ''The  Bible  Doctrine"  was  an  effort 
to  lay  open  to  common  apprehension  Biblical  doctrines,  pulling 
the  whole  subject  of  Christian  theology  down  from  the  clouds 
of  mysticism  and  meta])hysics. 

But  before  those  men  i)assed  from  earth,  a  change  had 
already  come  over  the  denomination's  ministry,  which  had 
whetted  the  simitar  of  controversy  and  essayed  Titanic  stints 
in  theological  hair-splitting.  A  period  of  "theologising"  had 
supervened,  the  effect  of  which  was,  in  part,  to  checkmate 
sectarian  flings  at  the  Christians,  and  in  })art  to  make  the 
Christians  more  like  the  sects.  Perhaps  this  change  was 
inevitable,  that  the  Christians'  position  might  be  fully  developed 
and  defended. 

Publications  of  the  period  abound  with  theological 
essays,  some  evidently  the  work  of  tyros,  others  products  of 
experienced  writers.  Discussions  were  common,  w'hether  in 
public  print  or  in  book  form ;  and  a  favorite  manner  of  set- 
tling (  ?)  controverted  points  was  by  public  debate  with  mem- 
bers of  older  denominations  who  adhered  to  traditional 
positions.  Some  of  those  debates  were  advertised  long  before- 
hand, lasted  several  days,  were  stenographically  reported,  and 
attracted  crowds  of  followers  of  both  debaters,  and  often 
members  of  the  audience  were  overheard  afterward  discussing 
the  questions  in  true  lyceum  style.  Probably  the  most  popular 
subject  was  the  old  metaphysical  dogma  of  the  Trinity,  which 
ministers  among  the  Christians  were  likely  to  be  found  deny- 
ing, although  they  strenuously  upheld  the  Biblical  teaching 
concerning  that  doctrine. 


178  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Typical  of  other  debates  may  be  mentioned  tliat  between 
Rev.  Frederick  Plummer,  pastor  of  the  Christian  Church  in 
PhiLadelphia,  and  Rev.  William  L.  McCalla,  pastor  of  a  Pres- 
byterian Church  in  Ridley,  Pa.  Mr.  Plummer  had  previously 
participated  in  similar  affairs,  once  with  a  Presbyterian  clergy- 
man, and  Mr.  McCalla  boasted  of  three  such  contests,  one  with 
Alexander  Campbell,  in  Kentucky.  This  Plummer-McCalla 
debate  was  held  January  18  to  21,  1842,  at  Ridley.  Two  days 
were  consumed  in  arranging  preliminaries,  during  which  time 
each  man  rid  himself  of  considerable  ''bad  blood,"  and  both 
were  in  such  temper,  it  would  seem,  that  no  contest  should 
have  been  attempted.  As  finally  decided  upon  the  subject 
was:  "Is  there  a  plurality  of  persons  in  the  divine  essence?" 
Both  men  presented  arguments  embodying  considerable  citation 
of  authorities,  Scriptural  and  otherwise,  and  were  unsparing 
of  each  other.  Kinkade's  "The  Bible  Doctrine,"  mentioned  else- 
where, gave  Mr.  McCalla  most  of  his  points  against  the  Chris- 
tians;^ whereas,  Mr.  Plummer  simply  denied  that  Kinkade 
represented  anybody  but  himself.^ 

Another  famous  debate,  not  strictly  belonging  to  this 
period  of  history,  may  as  well  be  spoken  of  here,  and  then  the 
subject  dismissed.  At  Centerville,  Clinton  County,  Ohio, 
August  2  to  9,  1854,  Rev.  Nicholas  Summerbell,  then  pastor  of 
the  Christian  Church  in  Cincinnati,  and  Rev.  J.  M.  Flood,  Ex- 
President  of  the  Ohio  Conference  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
Church,  held  a  discussion  on  the  Trinity  which  was  stenograph- 
ically  reported  by  Benn  Pittman,  and  later  published  in  book 
form.  One  sometimes  hears  that  occasion  mentioned  to-day  by 
the  "old-timers"  among  the  Christians.^ 

The   Bible,    consisting   of   the    Old    and   New   Testament 

^  A  Public  Discussion  on  the  Doctrine  of  tbe  Trinity,  between  Elder  Freder- 
ick riummer,  Christian,  nnd  Rev.  Wm.  L.  McCalla,  Presbyterian.  Published 
for  the  Christian  General  Book  Association,  I'hiladelphia,  Pa.,  1851.  See  p.  128. 
'  Ibid.,  passim.  "  Discussions  on  the  Trinity,  between  N.  Summerbell,  Pastor 

First  Christian  Church,  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  and  Rev.  .T.  M.  Flood,  Ex-President  of 
the  Ohio  Conference  of  the  M.  P.  Church.  Reported  by  Benn  Pittman.  Cin- 
cinnati,  Ohio,  Applegate,  Pounsford  &  Co.,  1869. 


PRINCIPLES  AND  POLITY  179 

Scriptures  is  the  only  written  or  printed  document  to  whose 
autliority  the  whole  Christian  denomination  submissiv^ely  bows 
and  adheres.  Should  one  inquire  about  belief,  creed,  disci- 
pline, constitution,  polity,  the  answer  would  be:  The  Bible  is 
our  only  statement  of  doctrine,  our  only  creed,  our  only  book 
of  discipline,  our  only  constitution  and  polity.  This  is 
universally  accepted  among  us.  And  then  should  one  object 
that  not  all  men  understand  or  practice  the  Bible  alike,  the 
answer  would  be :  True ;  and  it  is  a  settled  principle  with  us 
that  every  man  should  have  freedom  to  interpret  the  Scriptures 
according  to  his  own  understanding.  Only  so  can  men  main- 
tain their  own  intellectual  integrity  and  an  inviolate  conscience 
toward  God. 

District  and  local  conferences,  churches  and  individuals, 
have  enunciated  and  adopted  explanatory  statements  of  various 
kinds,  prescribed  modes  of  work,  and  associated  themselves 
according  to  their  predilection.  But  none  of  those  explana- 
tory statements  or  formularies  have  any  binding  power  regard- 
ing beliefs,  doctrines.  Scrijjtural  interpretation  or  matters  of 
conscience.  They  are  framed  in  view  of  the  above  principle, 
and  govern  merely  the  tem])oral  affairs  of  the  church.  The 
only  document  of  binding  authority  is  the  Bible.  Nor  was  this 
position  reached  by  vote  or  formal  action,  but  by  unquestioned 
common  consent  and  acquiescence.  In  every  case  it  has  been 
the  foundation  upon  which  everything  else  has  rested. 

In  view  of  the  principle  just  stated  we  may  now  proceed 
to  explain  more  fully  the  "principles  and  polity."  Early  posi- 
tive statements  of  denominational  position  have  been  repro- 
duced at  the  close  of  Chapter  III  and  in  the  Appendix. 
Advance  upon  those  statements  is  apparent  in  a  preamble 
adopted  by  the  New  Jersey  Conference  in  1832,  substantially 
as  follows:  The  Scriptures  are  the  all-sufficient  and  only  rule 
of  faith  and  practice ;  eligibility  for  church  membership  should 
be  based  on  Christian  life;  the  right  of  j)rivate  judgment  is 
every  man's  prerogative;  church  discipline  should  be  according 


180  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

to  gospel  teaching;  Christ  is  the  only  head  of  the  church  and 
source  of  authority.^  In  the  Christian  Herald^  for  1827  five 
points  were  enumerated  including,  No  name  but  Christian,  and 
each  church  to  be  independent  and  autonomous.  Commonly 
the  Christians  speak  of  the  above  points  as  their  ''principles." 
The  philosophy  underlying  them  is  as  follows: 

1.  The  Christians  have  always  fought  clear  of  ecclesias- 
tical hierarchy  and  bossism ;  and  individuals,  laymen  or 
ministers,  churches  and  conferences,  have  maintained  complete 
independence  and  autonomy,  except  for  voluntary  association 
for  counsel  and  spiritual  profit.  Popes,  cardinals,  bishops, 
and  general  conferences  with  legislative  power  seemed  to  the 
Christians  incompatible  with  Christian  teaching.  They  freely 
acknowledge  tliat  close  organization  would  produce  a  stronger 
denomination ;  but  freedom  is  more  highly  prized  than  great 
and  powerful  organizations.  They  proclaim  simply  that  one 
is  their  Master,  and  they  are  all  brethren  without  artificial 
gradation  or  ecclesiastical  distinction.  The  chief  abuses 
opposed  by  this  principle  are  assumption  by  any  authority, 
whether  individual  or  collective,  to  dictate  what  men  shall 
believe ;  and  assumption  of  authority  to  coerce  men  to  uniform- 
ity of  belief  or  action.  Heresy  trials  are  impossible  among 
the  Christians.  What  Christ  commands,  that  is  law  irrev- 
ocable.      He  is  final  authority  for  the  church. 

2.  As  to  the  Scriptures,  preliminary  statements  above  are 
perhaps  clear  enough.  The  Christians  speak  of  ''the  all- 
suflSciency  of  Scripture,"  by  which  expression  they  recognize 
the  Bible  as  God's  word,  a  complete  guide  for  Christians'  faith 
and  living,  and  for  all  religious  purposes.  Their  views  aboTit 
inspiration,  authority,  composition  and  inerrancy  have  difi'ered 
little  from  those  of  other  denominations ;  and  the  people  differ 
as  little  among  themselves,  on  those  points,  as  do  members  of 
other  denominations.  Recognizing  that  much  argument  on 
those  debated  subjects  runs  off  into  philosophy,  they  usually 

iGos.  Lum.,  Vol.  V,  p.  319.  =  Chris.  Her.,  Vol.  X,  pp.  64,  65. 


PRINCIPLES  AND  POLITY  181 

confine  themselves  to  more  practical  subjects.  In  stating 
doctrines  they  pi-efer  tlie  identical  words  and  expressions  of 
Scripture,  back  to  wliich  all  men  go  I'or  starting  point. 

3.  Conceiving  that  arbitrary  and  enforced  interpretation 
of  Scripture  would  abridge  Christian  liberty,  the  Christians 
have  always  admitted  the  great  outstanding  facts  and  truths 
of  Scripture,  while  insisting  that  Holy  Writ  itself  should  be 
subject  to  honest  and  intelligent  individual  exegesis  and  appli- 
cation. The  right  of  private  judgment  obtains  in  all  matters 
of  opinion.  Neither  mental  dishonesty,  moral  obliquity,  nor 
hampering  of  conscience  must  result  from  forcing  assent  to 
other  men's  interpretations  or  opinions.  All  men  must  have 
the  right  to  proclaim  and  defend  their  conscientious  judgment 
and  opinions.  Their  conclusions  may  be  wrong,  and  their 
motives  right,  but  granted  an  honest  purpose  and  an  effort  to 
know  the  truth,  the  cause  of  righteousness  can  best  be  advanced 
by  allowing  men  liberty  of  expression. 

4.  From  the  foregoing  ''principles"  comes  another,  strictly 
adhered  to  by  the  Christians,  namely,  the  only  proper  test  for 
church  fellowship  is  Christian  character.  All  creeds  must  be 
abandoned  except  as  expressions  of  individual  or  of  collective 
belief.  They  are  not  proper  tests  for  church  membership. 
When  men  stand  before  their  peers,  solemnly  declaring  full 
assent  to  numerous  "articles  of  faith,"  they  may  rivet  for  them- 
selves fetters  of  galling  character.  Men  have  done  so  again 
and  again.  The  practice  of  "mental  reservation"  affords  no 
escape  for  a  man  desirous  of  doing  perfectly  right.  Again, 
whether  men  should  say  yes  to  questions  concerning  profound 
subjects  to  which  they  have  given  no  thought  and  about  which 
they  have  never  received  intelligent  teaching,  is  a  delicate  point 
in  Christian  ethics.  ^len  have  committed  themselves  to  doc- 
trines and  opinions  utterly  at  variance  with  practical  sense 
and  Christian  living.  Hence  the  Christians  insist  that 
exhibition  of  Christian  character  and  faith  shall  make  men 
eligible  for  church  membership  irrespective  of  creedal  tests. 


182  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

All  denominatious  admit  that  Christian  character  is  vital. 
Creeds  have  been  made  instruments  of  tyranny  and  as  such  are 
never  compatible  with  religious  liberty. 

5.  Why  should  these  people  uniformly  insist  upon  the 
name  "Christian  Church"  or  simply  the  term  ''Christians?" 
Two  reasons  may  be  adduced.  First,  the  leaders  in  the  move- 
ment maintained  that  ''Christian"  was  a  divinely  given  name, 
bestowed  upon  Christ's  followers  at  Antioch  in  Asia.  They 
stressed  the  word  ''divinely."  Their  argument  was  founded 
on  the  Greek  word  for  "called"  and  was  convincing  to  them. 
In  this  interpretation  they  have  been  followed  ever  since  by 
most  of  the  denomination.  A  second  weighty  reason  was  that 
"Christians"  may  be  worn  by  all  followers  of  Christ  and  tend 
to  unity  and  peace;  whereas,  other  sectarian  designation  is 
divisive  and  a  breeder  of  strife.  When  men  insist  upon  calling 
themselves  Baptists,  or  Presbyterians,  or  CongTegationalists, 
they  maintain  fences  and  division  lines,  and  hence,  loving  peace 
and  preaching  unity,  the  Christians  threw  away  all  designations 
that  might  foster  division  and  separation  between  Christ's 
followers,  and  were  content  to  wear  the  simple  name  "Chris- 
tians." People  who  accuse  them  of  arrogating  somewhat  of 
proprietorship  in  the  name  accuse  them  falsely.  These  two 
are  simple  lines  of  argument  for  wearing  the  one  name  which 
all  Christians  do  wear  first  before  they  adopt  a  sectarian 
appellation. 

6.  Especially  in  the  West  and  South  the  "union"  idea 
has  been  prominent  since  the  days  of  O'Kelly  and  Stone.  Men- 
tion has  been  made  of  Stone's  plan  for  union  with  Campbell's 
followers.  From  that  day  forward  individual  Christians  and 
Christian  churches  have  blazoned  upon  their  banner  a  union 
principle  by  which  they  have  usually  meant,  not  amalgamation 
of  denominations,  or  merging  of  churches,  but  cultivating  that 
spirit  of  unity  couched  so  beautifully  in  Christ's  prayer  for 
His  disciples.  Let  differences  sink  out  of  sight,  let  all  Chris- 
tians co-operate,  let  one  great  purpose  animate  all,  and  then 


PRINCIPLES  AND  POLITY  183 

all  will  act  like  one  denomination.  In  other  words,  they  will 
flow  together  like  drops  of  water.  However,  some  parties  in 
the  denomination  have  interpreted  "union''  to  mean  elimina- 
tion of  denominations  by  organic  union  forming  larger  bodies. 
This  latter  interpretation  has  been  responsible  for  considerable 
flirtation  with  certain  sects,  and  for  occasional  actual  elope- 
ments. 

These  six  points  cover  what  the  Christians  denominate 
their  ^'principles.''  But  some  ground  is  not  yet  cleared ;  for 
example,  church  discipline  is  administered  as  nearly  as  possible 
according  to  New  Testament  teachings,  chiefly  the  words  of 
Christ. 

Neither  baptism  nor  the  Lord's  Supper  is  regarded  as  a 
sacrament,  in  the  sense  that  ritualistic  churches  speak  of 
sacraments.  Baptism  is  a  simple  rite  signifying  that  a 
believer  means  to  live  a  Christian  life,  and  has  given  allegiance 
to  Jesus  Christ  as  his  Lord  and  Master.  It  is  administered 
to  the  candidate  according  to  his  preference — sprinkling,  pour- 
ing, immersion.  The  Ontario  contingent  almost  always 
immerse,  and  that  is  the  prevalent  mode  in  New  England  and 
Kentucky.  But  no  form  is  insisted  upon.  Quakers  or  Friends 
are  received  into  Christian  churches  without  baptism  at  all. 
This  rite  is  not  made  the  door  to  church  membership;  that  is 
to  say,  people  may  be  received  upon  confession  of  faith,  without 
having  been  baptized.  Baptismal  services  are  conducted  as 
simply  as  possible,  and  usually  in  Scriptural  language. 

The  Lord's  Supper,  to  the  Christians,  is  a  memorial  service, 
according  to  the  import  of  the  Lord's  own  words.  Close  com- 
munion is  nowhere  practiced ;  but  all  who  love  Christ  and  are 
trying  to  serve  Him  are  invited  to  share  in  the  bread  and  wine, 
irrespective  of  creed,  baptism,  or  denominational  fellowship, 
The  service  itself  is  usually  conducted  in  the  very  words  of 
Christ  uttered  when  the  supper  was  instituted. 

Organization  of  Christian  churches  is  usually  very  simple. 
Sometimes  the  people  covenant  with  one  another  according  to 


184  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

some  written  form,  then  a  constitution  and  by-laws  are  adopt- 
ed, governing  business  meetings  and  general  conduct  of  church 
affairs.  The  covenant  specifies  that  the  people  associated  find 
fellowship  according  to  some  or  all  of  the  principles  just 
explained.  In  other  cases  a  written  covenant,  constitution 
and  by-laws  are  not  used,  but  association  is  still  on  such  basis 
as  has  been  explained  above.  In  early  days  people  wedded  to 
sectarian  views  saw  a  lack  of  coherence,  blasphemous  hetero- 
doxy and  other  terrible  things  rife  among  the  Christians, 
prophesied  dire  fate  for  them  and  discouraged  the  Christians 
by  social  ostracism.  More  than  a  century  of  continuous  exist- 
ence, growth  and  development  have  proved  religious  liberty,  as 
embodied  in  the  Christian  denomination,  tenable  ground  for 
followers  of  Christ.  Their  principles  suffice  to  hold  people 
together,  and,  best  of  all,  promote  harmony. 

Christians  frankly  avow  the  undesirability  of  uniform 
belief  and  procedure  and  have  experienced  the  weakness  conse- 
quent upon  exaggerated  independence.  They  have  paid  a 
large  price  for  their  liberty.  Readers  will  still  press  for 
categorical  answers  about  Scriptural  doctrines  and  theological 
dogmas.  They  will  be  answered  perhaps  that  Scriptural  doc- 
trine should  be  carefully  differentiated  from  theological 
doctrine;  that  Biblical  language  should  be  discriminated  from 
philosophical  formulae.  If  one  were  to  ask,  What  do  you 
believe  relative  to  the  humiliation  of  Christ?  he  might  receive 
in  reply  simply  the  quotation  of  a  Scripture  text.  To  elucidate 
this  matter  still  further,  suppose  a  minister  of  the  Christians 
were  asked  to  declare  his  views  relative  to  the  Trinity.  He 
might  answer  in  one  of  four  ways.  He  might  say,  I  know 
nothing  about  the  Trinity ;  such  a  word  does  not  appear  in  my 
Bible,  but  is  a  human  invention.  Or  he  might  say,  I  neither 
affirm  nor  deny  that  upon  which  Scripture  does  not  speak.  Or 
he  might  say  again,  I  believe  in  the  Biblical  Trinity  but  not  in 
the  theological.  Or  yet  again,  he  might  declare  assent  to  the 
doctrine  as  commonlv  understood  and  might  become  a  contro- 


PRINCIPLES  AND  POLITY  185 

versialist,  handling  metaphysical  "essence"  or  ''substance"  or 
"three-in-one"  speculative  ideas  incapable  of  conclusive  proof, 
but  capable  of  endless  argument.  If  asked,  Are  you  a  Trin- 
itarian? or,  Are  you  a  Unitarian?  the  man  might  reply,  "Then 
I  am  neither  Unitarian,  Trinitarian,  an  Arian  or  Socinian,  but 
simply  a  Christian."  ^  At  one  time  theologians  among  the 
Christians  met  dogmatic  assertions  about  Christ's  deity  with 
arguments  for  the  "proper  Sonship"  of  our  Lord,  inquiring 
how  the  Lord  could  be  God  and  Son  of  God  in  a  proper  human 
sense  at  one  and  the  same  time.  It  appears  therefore,  that  the 
Christians  always  repair  to  plain  language,  and  understanding 
of  the  Bible  according  to  average  judgment,  as  to  meaning  and 
interpretation.  Never  for  a  moment  have  they  surrendered 
the  Bible,  nor  its  simple  direct  use.  People  who  have  dubbed 
the  Christians  ''Unitarian"  and  other  harder  names,  failed  to 
appreciate  their  standpoint,  and  misapprehended  their  inten- 
tion. True  religious  freedom  avoids  all  theological  dogma- 
tism. Freedom  and  revivalism  have  always  characterized  the 
Christians.  Their  fold  has  included  men  of  all  opinions,  and 
men  of  deep  convictions,  but  by  mutual  consent  they  laid  aside 
their  speculative  o])inions  and  divisive  tenets  in  favor  of  prac- 
tical Christianity,  plain  Scriptural  teaching  and  winning  men 
to  Christ.  Hence  their  loyalty  to  Christ,  their  loyalty  to  the 
Bible,  loyalty  to  conscience,  and  success  in  reaching  the  com- 
mon people. 

» Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  XIV,  p.  154. 


186  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  YIU 

Christian  Register  and  Almanac  for  1849. 

Gospel  Luminary,  especially  Vols.  IV  and  V. 

Christian  Herald,  aspecially  Vols.  X  and  XVI. 

Christian  Palladium,  especially  Vols.  IV,  VI,  XIV. 

Gospel  Herald,  Vols.  I  to  IV. 

A  History  and  Advocacy  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  J.  R.  Freese, 
M.  D. 

Memoir  of  Elder  Elijah  Shaw,  by  his  daughter. 

Life  and  Letters  of  Austin  Craig,  by  W.  S.  Harwood.  Revell  Com- 
pany, New  York.      1908. 

History  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  N.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

Fuller  description  of  works  in  former  lists. 


CHAPTER  IX 


CHAPTER  IX 

Fully  Developed  Denominational  Consciousness — 
College  Building 

i  8.70-1878 

FOR  decades  a  growing  denominational  consciousness  had 
been  observable.  The  Christians  began  to  think  of  them- 
selves as  other  denominations  thought  of  themselves. 
And  this  consciousness  actuated  the  Christian  General  Con- 
vention, held  at  Marion,  N.  Y.,  beginning  October  2,  1850.  That 
is  a  date  to  reckon  from,  and  that  Convention  the  expression 
of  a  new  spirit  and  conviction  dominating  the  people's  thought. 
Eleven  states  and  Canada  had  representation  by  eighty-two 
delegates,  carrying  five  hundred  twenty-one  votes,  from  twenty- 
six  conferences.  No  former  Convention  had  been  so  thoroughly 
representative.  We  must  get  into  this  Convention  enough  to 
catch  the  new  thrill  of  organic  life. 

The  Christian  General  Book  Association  met  contempora- 
neously, composed  of  the  same  delegates.  By  committee, 
officers  were  put  in  nomination  and  elected,  Rev.  D.  P.  Pike,  of 
Massachusetts,  being  President,  twelve  vice-presidents  being 
chosen  representing  as  many  different  states.  J.  R.  Freese, 
M.  D.,  of  Philadelphia,  was  elected  ^^ecretary,  with  two  assist- 
ants, Rev.  Thomas  Holmes,  still  living,  being  one.  A.  M.  Mer- 
rifield,  Esq.,  of  Massachusetts,  was  chosen  Treasurer. 

After  adopting  rules  of  order,  the  Convention  called  for 
the  educational  report,  and  considered  what  was  then  the  para- 
mount issue — establishment  of  a  college — feeling  its  way  to 
definite  vote  and  plan  for  founding  such  an  institution. 
Handsome  plans  were  exhibited.  During  and  between  ses- 
sions much  talk  was  indulged  in  regarding  a  theological  school. 


190  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Devices  for  "more  perfect  and  general  organization  of  the 
Christian  denomination"  were  called  for.  Missions,  temper- 
ance, Sabbath  schools,  "sentiments  of  the  Christian  Connec- 
tion," peace  and  slavery  were  all  subjects  properly  introduced, 
and  discussed  and  disposed  of.  Delegates  voted  on  the 
expediency  of  establishing  a  general  missionary  society,  and 
electing  a  missionary  board,  but  ultimately  laid  by  that  matter 
for  future  conventions.  lender  head  of  "Sentiments  of  tke 
Christian  Connection"  was  adopted  the  following:  "Your 
Committee  on  the  Sentiments  of  the  Christian  Connection  beg 
leave  to  present  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testaments 
as  containing  in  full  the  sentimeiits  of  the  Christian  denomina- 
tion, and  respectfully  submit  them  to  the  consideration  of  the 
Convention."  The  Committee  went  upon  the  convention  floor 
carrying  a  large  Bible  in  view  of  the  gathering.  Great  enthu- 
siasm was  evoked.^ 

The  business  of  the  Christian  General  Book  Association 
was  readjusted  and  divided,  the  Book  Department  going  to  14 
Crown  Street,  Philadelphia,  under  control  of  Dr.  Freese,  who 
should  arrange  for  sub-agencies  to  handle  all  books  and  sup- 
plies usually  carried  by  denominational  publishing  houses; 
and  to  gather  statistics  of  the  Christians  and  publish  them  in 
the  "Christian  Register  and  Almanac."  '  The  Book  Associa- 
tion published  papers  meantime,  and  that  department  of  work 
was  left  as  formerly,  at  Albany,  N.  Y.  In  1851  the  Christian 
Herald  was  sold  by  the  Association,  but  the  Christian  Palla- 
dium was  continued,  with  Jasper  Hazen  as  editor. 

But  the  overtopping  theme  at  Marion  was  education. 
Much  time  was  given  to  discussing  the  projected  college  and 
a  proposed  theological  school,  and  means  were  actually  set 
on  foot  to  realize  the  college  project,  as  will  be  shortly  detailed. 

^  It  should  be  mentioned,  however,  that  Freese's  History  of  the  Christians, 
alongside  the  report  of  the  Marlon  Convention,  printed  a  seventy-elght-page 
disquisition  on  the  "Sentiments."  To  meet  criticism  and  calumny  it  was 
thought  absolutely  necessary  to  attempt  definition  of  the  position  held  by  the 
Christians.  ^  See  Minutes  of  the  Convention. 


ANTIOCH  COLLEGE  191 

The  general  awakening  to  need  of  secondary  schools  was  now- 
bearing  more  fruit. 

We  have  said  that  a  fully  developed  denominational  con- 
sciousness was  apparent.  In  several  ways  we  can  trace  it: 
in  the  truly  national  and  representative  character  of  the  Chris- 
tian General  Conference;  in  a  general  feeling  of  denomina- 
tional need;  in  a  thorough  co-operation  of  all  sections  and 
delegates;  in  ])lans  for  better  denominational  organization; 
in  an  extended  consideration  of  departmental  enterprises;  in 
frank  recognition  that  denominational  colleges  and  theological 
schools  were  needed;  in  the  common  rallying  to  establish  a 
college;  in  an  attempt  to  form  a  "Book  Concern"  patterned 
after  those  of  other  denominations.  In  short,  what  the  sects 
needed  for  organic  life,  of  general  enterprises  and  means  of 
training  and  culture,  that  the  Christians  saw  themselves  need- 
ing. Being  a  species  of  Samaritans,  not  allowed  to  build  and 
worship  at  Jerusalem,  they  set  about  building  their  own  sanct- 
uaries, traditions,  culture,  and  enterprises.  The  die  was  cast : 
with  the  founding  and  endowing  of  institutions,  permanency 
was  secured,  and  another  denomination  was  perpetuated. 

ANTIOCH  COLLEGE 

For  several  years  ante-dating  the  Marion  Convention 
leading  men,  laymen  among  them,  had  agitated  college  build- 
ing, and  denominational  papers  had  aired  the  question  so 
thoroughly  that  everybody  acknowledged  the  desirability  of  a 
college  representing  the  entire  fellowship.  Without  delay, 
therefore,  the  Convention  raised  a  committee  of  thirty-four  on 
ways  and  means,  with  a  sub-committee  of  thirteen  for  executive 
purposes ;  this  Provisional  Committee  was  empowered  to  locate 
said  college  in  some  accessible,  healthful  place  offering  suffi- 
cient inducement.  Of  the  finan<'ial  plans  let  one  speak  who 
had  intimate  acquaintance  with  Ihe  college  in  its  infancy  and 
was  ])rofessor  and  acting  president.^ 

^  Article  of  J.  B.  Weston,  D.  II.  In  Antioch  College  Bulletin,  Vol.  VL  No.  4. 


192  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

"Antioch  College  was  projected  by  a  people  of  broad  and 
high  ideals,  but  of  little  practical  experience.  This  led  to  the 
adoption  of  means  and  methods  entirely  inadequate  to  the 
successful  accomplishment  of  what  was  undertaken.  A  college 
of  high  rank,  of  entirely  unsectarian  liberality,  open  to  students 
of  both  sexes  on  conditions  of  absolute  equality,  at  a  time  when 
such  a  thing  was  an  innovation,  was  to  be  established  and 
maintained  on  an  endowment  of  |50,000,  comprised  of  joint 
stockholdings  of  shares  of  flOO  each,  under  the  name  of  schol- 
arships, said  shares  to  be  deemed  'paid  up'  on  giving  a  personal 
note  of  the  amount,  drawing  six  or  eight  per  cent,  interest, 
uncollectable  as  long  as  the  interest  was  paid.  Each  share  so 
held  entitled  the  holder  not  only  to  vote  in  the  election  of 
Trustees,  but  to  keep  a  student  in  school  perpetually,  either 
directly  or  by  rental,  free  of  charge  for  tuition.  This  ideal 
was  soon  raised  to  |100,000,  This  was  deemed  largely  safe. 
It  was  expected  to  locate  the  college  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
but  the  Ohio  people  took  hold  of  the  movement  with  so  much 
greater  enthusiasm  that  this  became  the  center  of  hopes  and 
expectations.  The  |100,0()0  ideal  was  expanded  still  further, 
but  the  plan  of  relying  on  income  from  scholarship  notes  of  the 
kind  above  named  was  still  retained. 

Prominent  in  the  preliminary  movement  for  the  college 
was  Mr.  A.  M.  Merrifield,  of  Worcester,  Mass.  Mr.  Merri- 
field  was  formerly  from  Conneaut,  Ohio.  He  was  there  a 
convert  of  Rev.  Oliver  Barr,  and  was  devoted  to  the  interests 
of  the  church.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  builder.  He  had 
moved  to  Worcester,  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  the  out- 
skirts of  Worcester  as  it  then  was,  and  built  houses  and  sold 
them.  He  was  deemed  to  be  a  man  of  considerable  wealth 
and  large  business  ability.  (In  the  event  it  was  seen  that 
neither  supposition  was  justified.)  The  building  of  Antioch 
College  and  the  outline  of  its  character  was  decided  on  at  a 
convention  held  in  Marion,  Wayne  County,  N.  Y.,  in  October, 
1850.       Mr.  Merrifield  was  present,  and,  though  not  a  public 


ANTIOCH  COLLEGE  193 

speaker,  had  much  to  do  in  shaping  its  counsels.  There  a 
large  Provisional  Committee  was  appointed,  of  which,  for 
want  of  better  material,  I  was  made  one,  and  from  these  a  sub- 
committee, of  which  I  was  not  one,  to  superintend  more  directly 
the  carrying  on  of  the  work.  Of  this  sub-committee  Mr. 
Merrifleld  was  Treasurer  and  business  head.  To  him  was 
committed  the  work  of  designing  the  buildings,  and  obtaining 
the  architect's  plans  and  estimates.  I  was  employed  a  few 
months  in  raising  funds  for  the  college  in  New  England,  and 
had  the  honor  of  paying  the  first  money  to  the  Treasurer  for 
the  new  college. 

The  work  was  taken  up  in  Ohio  with  great  zeal  and 
enthusiasm ;  indeed,  with  the  unthinking  furor  of  a  wild  specu- 
lation. The  idea  was  held  up  and  accepted,  that  there  would 
be  a  grand  rush  for  scholarships  in  the  new  college,  that  every 
one  would  be  in  demand  at  full  tuition  rates,  say  eight  dollars 
a  term  for  three  terms  a  year.  Thus,  the  man  who  held  a 
scholarship,  for  which  he  had  given  a  note  only,  bearing  six  or 
eight  per  cent,  interest,  would  have  no  trouble  in  renting  it  for 
twenty-four  dollars  a  year,  paying  his  interest,  and  jtutting 
the  balance  into  his  pocket  without  investing  a  cent  in  cash. 
I  am  not  speaking  at  random.  I  have  myself  heard  men  boast 
their  business  acumen  in  subscribing  for  more  than  one  share, 
with  that  purpose  in  view.  In  this  way  as  much  as  $125,000 
was  subscribed  in  scholarships.  It  was  declared  in  the  papers 
to  be  $200,000.  And  it  was  counted  as  solid  cash.  Thus  the 
bubble  swelled.  And  the  bubble  was  supposed  to  be  all  solid 
gold,  and  the  college  treasurer  was,  in  imagination,  plethoric 
in  wealth."  Each  scholarship  entitled  the  holder  thereof  to 
one  vote  in  college  affairs,  except  that  no  person  should  have 
more  than  ten  votes.  Two-thirds  of  the  instructors  and 
trustees  were  to  be  members  of  the  Christian  denomination. 

The  Provisional  Committee  members  present  at  Marion  at 
once  met,  organized,  and  adopted  the  name  "Antioch  College," 


194  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

and  arranged  for  soliciting  agents.^  The  committee  decided 
in  October,  1851,  to  locate  the  College  in  Ohio.  When  the 
sub-committee  met  at  old  Knob  Prairie  Christian  Church,  a 
few  miles  west  of  Springfield,  Ohio,  offers  from  Yellow  Springs 
were  accepted  and  Antioch  College  to  be  was  located  in  that 
town,  then  noted  for  its  sulphur  springs.  A  charter  was 
obtained,  and  three  buildings  were  planned — two  dormitories 
and  a  recitation  hall.  Judge  Mills,  of  Yellow  Springs,  donated 
twenty  acres  of  land  and  pledged  the  town  for  |30,000  cash. 
Hon.  Horace  Mann,  of  Massachusetts,  was  invited  to  the  col- 
lege presidency  September  15,  1852,  and  the  same  day  was 
nominated  for  governor  of  his  native  state  by  the  Free  Soil 
Party  (free  Democracy).  He  accepted  the  former  honor,  not 
knowing  what  conditions  were  at  Yellow  Springs,  but  only 
hoping  for  opportunity  to  work  out  many  cherished  plans. 

Horace  Mann  was  born  in  Franklin,  Mass.,  May  4,  1796, 
on  a  farm.  The  elder  Mann  died  when  Horace  was  only  a 
lad.  lUit  the  boy  fought  his  way  to  success.  He  graduated 
from  Brown  University,  and  then  studied  law.  As  a  member 
of  the  state  legislature  in  1827  he  espoused  reformatory  meas- 
ures. In  1836  he  was  president  of  the  state  senate,  and  for 
eleven  years  secretary  of  the  state  Board  of  Education.  Here 
he  began  his  greatest  work  as  an  educator,  and  in  spite  of 
opposition  secured  establishment  of  normal  schools  in  his  state. 
In  1848  he  was  elected  to  Congress  in  place  of  ex-president 
John  Q.  Adams.  After  serving  his  term  he  entered  upon  his 
duties  as  president  of  Antioch  College.  While  lecturing  in 
the  west,  he  found  himself  near  Yellow  Springs  and  visited 
the  scene  of  his  future  labors.  The  college  site  was  a  wheat 
field,  whence  had  been  cleared  a  few  years  before  the  virgin 
forests,  tree  stumps  still  appearing.  But  to  ^fr.  Mann  the 
location  was  beautiful,  looking  upon  the  idyllic  ravine  where 
the  springs  bubbled  forth. 

^  Rev.  D.   Millard  was  chosen  President  of  the  committee,  Rev.  W.  R.  Stowe, 
Vice-President,  Rev.  Eli  Fay,  Secretary,  and  A.  M.  Merrifield,  Treasurer. 


ANTIOCH  COLLEGE  195 

Mr.  Mann  at  once  gathered  his  faculty,  held  meetings  with 
them,  and  laid  out  tentative  courses  of  study,  preparatorj-  and 
undergraduate.  ICarly  in  September,  1853,  they  all  journeyed 
to  Yellow  Springs  for  his  inaugural  and  opening  of  College. 
As  the  buildings  were  far  from  ready,  a  considerable  improvisa- 
tion was  needful  to  accommodate  faculty,  one  hundred  fifty 
students  who  entered  the  first  day,  and  three  thousand  people 
who  attended  the  inaugural.  A  freshman  class  of  eight  was 
formed.  Those  were  days  of  great  privation  and  some  suffer- 
ing for  all  connected  with  the  College.  ^lany  weeks  passed 
before  the  buildings  were  completed,  and  Yellow  Springs  itself 
was  a  crude  town,  but  "booming." 

Added  to  all  other  discomforts  were  personal  jealousies 
in  the  faculty,  ill-will  toward  President  Mann  because  he  was 
a  Unitarian,  (and  yet  he  identified  himself  with  the  Chris- 
tians,) a  feeling  that  eastern  culture  and  ways  were  not 
consonant  with  western,  and  looming  financial  embarrass- 
ments.^ "The  income  was  limited,  therefore,  chiefly  to  what 
came  from  interest  on  notes.  And  as  the  demand  for  rented 
scholarships  did  not  come  as  was  expected,  interest  on  many 
notes  was  not  paid.  On  many  no  interest  was  ever  paid. 
Others  made  a  few  payments  and  stopped.  A  few  were  paid 
in  full.  The  salaries  of  the  faculty  were  inadequate  at  the 
best.  Mr.  Mann's  was  |1,500,  the  others  |1,000  each.  But 
even  so  the  expenses  of  each  year  increased  the  indebtedness 
of  the  College.  Appeals  for  aid  were  made  to  wealthy  men  in 
New  York  and  Boston.  The  debt  was  said  to  be  about  twenty 
or  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  There  was  a  disposition  to 
stand  by  Horace  Mann.  Delegations  came  to  investigate  the 
real  condition  of  things.  They  could  find  out  nothing.  The 
indebtedness  was  a  bottomless  pit.  Merrifield's  confusion  had 
left  no  data  on  which  to  found  an  estimate.  Meantime,  out- 
side matters  dragged  slowly.    Scholarships  were  not  in  demand 

« Article  of  J.  B.  Weston,  D.  D.,  in  Antloch  College  Bulletin,  Vol.  VI.  No.  4. 


196  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

as  expected.  People  were  not  rushing  in  to  push  up  the  prices 
of  lots  on  which  hopes  of  speculation  had  been  built.  The 
boom  began  to  subside.  Lots  that  had  been  sold  were  not  paid 
for.  The  notes  that  Judge  Mills  held  were  uncollectable,  the 
lots  came  tumbling  back  upon  his  hands  unpaid  for,  and  the 
properties  he  had  taken  elsewhere  were  unsaleable.  The  dis- 
appointed ones  felt  that  they  had  lost  the  money  they  had 
never  had,  and  Judge  Mills  and  Antioch  College  had  to  bear 
the  curses  of  it  all.  Such  was  the  experience  of  the  life  of 
Antioch  College  and  of  Judge  Mills  and  Yellow  Springs.  The 
College  authorities  saw  that  the  institution  could  be  carried  on 
no  longer  in  that  way.  They  could  find  out  nothing  of  its 
indebtedness  except  that  it  was  increasing  without  resources  to 
meet  it.  Their  only  way  was  to  acknowledge  themselves  bank- 
rupt, put  their  affairs  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver,  find  out  thus 
how  they  stood,  let  the  school  be  carried  on  meantime  by  Mr. 
Mann  and  his  faculty,  and  meet  their  fate  as  best  they  could. 
After  two  years  of  the  settling  process  the  property  was  sold 
under  a  foreclosure.  It  was  appraised  at  |65,000,  and  was  bid 
in  by  a  new  corporation  for  two-thirds  that  amount.  The 
indebtedness  of  the  first  corporation  was  found  to  be  over 
$80,000,  every  cent  of  which  was  paid  by  the  new  corporation, 
and  Horace  Mann  continued  in  his  work." 

And  yet  the  College  throve.  It  became  famous,  partly 
because  of  its  famous  president,  partly  because  of  it  morale. 
In  1855  to  1856  there  were  three  hundred  sixty-three  students 
in  all  department;  and  in  1856  to  1857,  five  hundred  thirty- 
nine;  three  hundred  twenty-one  in  1857  to  1858.  The  last 
named  year  Rev.  J.  B.  Weston  was  principal  of  the 
preparatory  department.  Money  had  been  solicited  both 
among  Christians  and  Unitarians  to  buy  in  the  college,  which 
was  knocked  off  for  |40,200,  and  for  the  payment  of  claims 
against  the  institution,  which  then  passed  into  control  of 
twenty  trustees,  a  close  corporation,  as  against  the  stock- 
holders' corporation.       An  endowment  of  |100,000  was  also 


ANTIOCH  COLLEGE  197 

provided.  The  Unitarians  furnished  most  of  the  money,  and 
had  twelve  members  on  tlie  board  of  trustees,  giving  the  Chris- 
tians eight.i  The  total  cost  of  Antioch  College  for  the  first 
five  years,  including  running  expenses  was  1200,242.05.^ 
Various  expedients  were  tried  to  retrieve  the  disaster,  but  all 
failed  because  the  necessary  cash  was  not  procured.^ 

This  chapter  of  history  is  painful  to  all  friends  of  Antioch 
College,  and  members  of  the  Christian  denomination.  The 
College  has  continued  its  existence  on  funds  provided  by  Uni- 
tarian friends,  up  to  the  present  time,  and  largely  without 
patronage  of  the  Christians.  However,  it  should  be  understood 
that  the  College  charter  hinders  the  school  from  ever  becoming 
sectarian  in  its  teaching. 

The  following  have  been  presidents  of  Antioch  for  the 
terms  indicated:  Horace  ]ManTi.  LL.  T).,  1852-1859;  Thomas 
Hill,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  1859-18G2;  Austin  Craig,  D.  I).,  1862-1865 
(J.  B.  Weston,  D.  D.,  acting)  ;  Austin  Craig.  D.  D.,  1865-1866; 
George  W.  Hosmer,  D.  1).,  1866-1878;  Edward  Orton,  M.  A., 
Ph.  D.,  1873;  S.  C.  Derby,  M.  A.  (acting),  1873-1875;  C.  S. 
Derby,  M.  A.,  1875-1876;  J.  B.  Weston,  D.  D.  (acting),  1876- 
1877;  S.  C.  Derby,  :\r.  A.,  1877-1881;  Rev.  O.  J.  Wait,  M.  A., 
1882-1883;  Daniel  A.  Long,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  1883-1899;  W.  A. 
Bell,  LL.  D.,  1899-1902;  Stephen  F.  Weston,  dean,  1902-1906; 
S.  D.  Fess.  D.  D.,  1906—. 

Mann,  Craig,  Weston,  Wait,  Long  and  Bell  were  all  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  denomination.  Hill  was  afterward 
president  of  Harvard  University.  Such  famous  names  appear 
on  the  board  of  trustees  as :  H.  W.  Bellows,  Edward  E.  Hale, 
Robert  L.  Collyer,  Brooke  Herford  and  Hon.  J.  Warren 
Keifer. 


1  At    first    the    Christians    were    accorded  twelve    trustees,    the    TTnltarlans 

having:   eiyrht.  "  ^ee    Oos.    Her..    December  8.    1R5.S.  s  See    Thriq     P-iIl 

Vol.  XXVI,  pp.   218,  249.   282.  .S:i2.  ?,->!.  408.  Gardner,  pp     121.   124    l''>6    l"?' 
210,  217.       Minutes  A.  C.  C.  1866,  pp.  18.  20. 


198  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

UNION    CHRISTIAN    COLLEGE 

In  Indiana  an  educational  revival  among  the  Christians 
resulted  in  establishing  another  college.  Some  parties 
earlier  interested  in  Antioch  became  thoroughly  engaged  in 
another  project  which  had  profited  by  the  blunder  committed 
in  the  first  undertaking. 

Merom,  Sullivan  County,  Ind.,  was  a  decaying  town  in  the 
early  50's,  because  it  had  lost  the  county  seat.  For  Merom 
was  on  the  Wabash  River,  at  the  western  edge  of  the  county— 
a  beautiful  location,  indeed,  but  off  the  railroad.  In  1856 
Rev.  E.  W.  Humphreys  and  a  gentleman  named  I.  W.  Allen, 
incorporated  the  Merom  Bluff  Academy,  turning  the  old  court- 
house into  an  academy  building.  Their  school  prospered 
finely,  and  they  were  instrumental  in  the  educational  revival 
before  mentioned.  Mr.  Humphreys  broached  the  subject  of  a 
denominational  school  in  the  Western  Indiana  Conference 
session  of  1858;  at  which  time  .f  11, 000  was  named  as  a  desir- 
able sum  of  money  to  launch  such  school.  The  Eastern 
Indiana  Conference  heartily  endorsed  the  undertaking,  and  a 
meeting  of  Indiana  conferences  in  Eel  River  Chapel,  between 
Peru  and  Logansport,  inaugurated  the  project,  setting  their 
money  aim  at  |35,000,  electing  a  committee  or  board  of  trustees 
to  carry  forward  the  enterprise.  At  that  meeting  also  Rev. 
Abraham  Snethen,  the  famous  ''barefoot  preacher,"  an  evan- 
gelist of  remarkable  personality  and  power,  suggested  the  name, 
''Union  Christian  College."  The  provisional  committee  was 
Thomas  Kern,  N.  G.  Buff,  A.  R.  Heath,  and  A.  W.  Sanford. 

After  visiting  various  locations,  the  committee  chose 
Merom,  whose  citizens  offered  |:>5,000  and  Merom  Bluff  Acad- 
emy. Funds  for  building  and  endowment  were  solicited,  the 
shareholder  plan  being  again  employed,  as  in  case  of  Antioch, 
but  with  safeguards.  (The  plan  still  controls  the  College's 
destiny).  There  were  seven  hundred  shareholders  reported. 
A  charter  was  secured  soon  after  location.^ 

1  Minutes  A.  C.  C.   18GG.  p.  18. 


UNION  CHRISTIAN  COLLEGE  199 

Rev.  Nicholas  Suiniiiorbell,  then  of  Des  Moines,  Iowa, 
was  invited  to  the  presidency  and  accepted  in  18(50.  College 
was  immediately  begun  in  the  Academy  building,  continuing 
there  until  the  new  edifice  was  dedicated  in  December,  1862, 
on  the  eve  of  the  great  (Mvil  War.  (The  cornerstone  had  been 
laid  in  November  of  1859.) 

Nicholas  Summerbell   was  born   in  Westchester  County, 
N.  Y.,  March  8,  181G,  son  of  James  and  Mary  Summerbell. 
Left  an  orphan,  the  boy  was  brought  up  by  his  grandfather 
Nicholas  Summerbell,  a  weaver  by  trade,  who  lived  on  a  farm. 
When  fourteen  years  old  young  Nicholas  went  to  New  York 
City  to  make  his  way.      After  various  exj)eriences  he  became 
a  merchant  tailor,  and  was  converted  while  in  that  occupation. 
He  began   to   preach   about   1840,   in   New  Jersey   and   New 
England,  and  had  a  long  remarkable  career  as  minister  of  the 
gospel.       He  became  home  missionary  in  the  west,  until  his 
name  was   a   household   word   in  several   states  east  of  the 
Mississippi,  as  well  as  in  Iowa  and  farther  west.      When  the 
Civil  War  broke  out  Nicholas  Summerbell  became  army  chap- 
lain, for  the  time  leaving  his  college  duties.      In  1870  he  began 
publishing  The  Christian  Pulpit,  a  monthly  magazine,  which 
he  issued  from  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  while  he  was  pastor  in  that 
city;  and  later  he  became  editor  of  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty 
and  publishing  agent  of  The  Christian  Tublishing  Association, 
extricating  it  from  serious  debt.      He  served  the  denomination 
in   many   capacities   and    with   singular   fidelity   and   ability. 
Authorship  was  natural  with  him.       Being  a  man  of  strong 
character    and    commanding    personality,    he    carried    great 
influence. 

As  first  president  of  Union  Christian  College,  Dr.  Summer- 
bell put  it  on  good  financial  footing,  gave  it  an  excellent  repu- 
tation, and  left  it  with  a  large  attendance  of  students.  His 
own  son,  Joseph  J.  Summerbell,  was  the  first  graduate,  and 
has  shed  luster  on  his  alma  mater  for  many  years.  He  became 
instructor  in  the  College,  and  a  preacher  of  the  gospel.      Later 


200  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

he  shared  in  his  father's  literary  labors,  and  came  into  great 
prominence  in  denominational  affairs.  At  Yellow  Springs, 
Ohio,  in  1889,  Nicholas  Summerbell  died,  mourned  by  thou- 
sands. 

The  College  had  a  hard  struggle  for  existence,  but  at 
various  times  endowments  have  been  secured,  enabling  it  to 
continue  a  work  of  untold  value  to  the  denomination.  More 
of  its  history  will  be  given  in  a  subsequent  chapter,^  Rev, 
A,  R.  Heath,  of  Covington,  Ind.,  is  credited  with  having  made 
very  great  sacrifice,  perhaps  greater  than  most  others,  in 
behalf  of  this  school. 

MEADVILLE  THEOLOGICAL  SCHOOL 

We  have  adverted  to  agitation,  before  and  during  the 
Christian  General  Convention  of  1850,  for  a  theological  school. 
Biblical  departments  had  been  established  at  both  Antioch  and 
Union  Christian  Colleges ;  but  still  a  "school  of  the  prophets" 
was  deemed  needful.  As  early  as  1827  Rev.  Simon  Clough, 
of  New  York,  proposed  that  Unitarians  and  Christians  should 
unite  in  establishing  a  theological  school,  preferably  in  the 
historic  Hudson  River  valley.  But  nothing  came  of  that  sug- 
gestion. In  1843  some  influential  Christians  co-operated  with 
some  wealthy  Unitarians  in  founding  Meadville  Theological 
School  at  Meadville,  Pa.  H.  J.  Huidekoper,  a  native  of 
Holland  and  a  man  of  excellent  Christian  character,  who 
became  indentified  with  the  Unitarians  in  Meadville,  invested 
largely,  and  was  really  the  founder  of  the  School.  But  his 
son,  Rev.  Frederick  Huidekoper,  was  the  guiding  spirit  for 
several  years.  Most  of  the  money  came  from  Unitarian 
sources,  but  a  majority  of  early  students  from  among  the 
Christians.  In  1844,  the  year  the  School  was  opened.  Rev. 
Joseph  Badger  w^as  elected  a  trustee  and  member  of  the  visiting 
committee,  serving  until  his  death.  Rev.  David  Millard  was 
elected  to  a  professorship  of  Biblical  antiquities  and  sacred 

1  See  Our  Work,  Vol.  I,  No.  1,  p.  2  ff.       H.  G.  L.,  June  6,  1874. 


CHRISTIAN  BIBLICAL  INSTITUTE  201 

geograjdiv.  which  he  hehl  for  twenty  years.^  Still  later  Rev. 
Austin  Crai»»:  became  a  nieniber  of  the  laculty,  lecturing  on 
Biblical  topics,  tilling  his  position  with  marked  success.  Sev- 
eral eminent  ministers  of  the  Christians,  some  of  them  still  in 
active  service,  were  trained  at  Meadville.  And  yet  the 
atfiliation  was  never  satisfactory  to  the  Christians  and  was 
finally  abandoned. - 

CHRISTIAN  BIBLICAL  INSTITUTE 

Away  back  in  1857  Rev.  Daniel  P.  Pike  reported  a  fund  of 
$387.02  gathered  for  a  Biblical  School  which  it  was  hoped  to 
establish  at  Andover  Center,  N.  H.^  Rev.  Oliver  Barr  had 
been  canvassing  for  funds,  with  good  success,  to  endow  a 
Biblical  department  in  Antioch  College,  when  his  career  was 
cut  short  by  a  terrible  railroad  accident  in  the  East.  The 
project  of  a  Biblical  school  languished  for  years,  but  was 
revived  at  the  American  Christian  Convention  held  at  Marshall. 
Mich.,  in  1806.  Several  men  in  the  New  York  Eastern  Con- 
ference bestirred  themselves  and  secured  a  charter  in  1868. 
Money  was  solicited  by  the  note  plan  and  others,  and  when 
|20,000  had  been  obtained,  the  school  was  opened  October  6, 
1860,  in  Foreman  Hall,  Starkey  Seminary,  Eddytown  (now 
Lakemont),  N.  Y.  Rev.  Austin  Craig  was  invited  to  the 
presidency  and  accei)ted,  being  the  whole  faculty  at  first.  He 
was  beyond  question  the  greatest  man  raised  up  in  the  denom- 
ination. 

Austin  Craig  was  born  in  1824.  in  Peapack,  N.  J.,  son  of 
Moses  and  Rachel  Carhart  Craig.  The  senior  Craig  had  been 
a  teacher,  a  merchant,  and  was  a  large  farmer  in  1828.  He 
had  twice  served  with  honor  in  the  New  Jersey  state  senate. 
Austin  was  very  religious,  and  joined  the  Presbyterian  church 

'  To  perfect  himself  for  the  position,  he  traveled  In  the  Orient.  See  Travels 
In  ?:srvpt.  Arabia  I'etra'a.  and  the  Holy  Land,  bv  David  Millard.  184."?.  H. 
LudwifT.  New  York.     Third  edition.  1847.  M'hris.  Her..  Vol.  II.  p.  127.     Chris. 

Pall..  Vol.  XIII.  pp.  10,  so,  285,  840;  Vol.  XV.  pp.  20.  81,  84,  226.  Also 
Memoir  of  Uev.  .loseph  Badjrer.  passim  :  Life  and  Writinjrs  of  David  Millard, 
passim:    Life   and    Writings   of   II.    Y.    Rush,    I).    D.,    Chap.    III.  » H.   G.    L., 

April  23,  1857 


202  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

in  his  thirteenth  vear  immediately  following  his  conversion. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  entered  Lafayette  College,  Easton,  Pa., 
spending  four  years  there  and  receiving  both  B.  A.  and  M.  A. 
degrees.  Part  of  his  college  career  was  during  the  exciting 
days  of  "Millerism.''  Young  Craig  preached  his  first  regular 
sermon  in  1843  in  his  father's  house.  Next  year  the  New 
Jersey  Conference  licensed  him,  ordaining  him  in  1845.  He 
was  always  a  great  student  and  omniverous  reader,  gifted  with 
a  most  tenacious  memory,  aided  by  splendid  judgment  and 
logical  faculty.  Craig's  address  before  the  New  Jersey  Con- 
ference in  1850  was  a  remarkable  production  for  a  young  man 
of  twenty-six  years,  Horace  Greeley  welcomed  it  to  the  New 
York  Trihnne,  and  it  was  printed  in  pamphlet  form,  widely 
read  and  discussed. 

Dr.  Craig  was  acquainted  with  all  branches  of  learning, 
was  a  splendid  Greek  scholar,  and  the  peer  of  the  best 
Hebraists  in  the  country.  As  a  Bible  scholar  he  was  inde- 
pendent and  acute,  a  master  of  exegesis. 

His  most  fruitful  pastorate  was  at  Blooming  Grove,  N.  Y., 
where  he  had  opportunity  to  pursue  his  studies  and  mature  his 
thoughts.  He  became  acquainted  with  men  like  E.  E.  Hale, 
H.  W.  Bellows,  H.  W.  Beecher,  General  Garfield,  Horace  Mann, 
Theodore  Parker,  and  Bishop  McQuaid  (Catholic).  By 
Horace  Mann's  influence  Craig  became  a  professor  at  Antioch, 
later  being  president  of  the  College,  succeeding  Thomas 
Hill.  During  his  I>looming  Grove  pastorate  and  his  connec- 
tion with  Antioch  he  was  a  regular  lecturer  at  Meadville 
Theological  School,  where  his  service  continued  until  1869. 
In  this  year  he  became  first  president  of  the  Christian  Biblical 
Institute.  He  was  chosen  a  member  of  the  American  Com- 
mittee to  revise  the  Bible,  because  of  his  scholarship  in  Greek 
and  Hebrew. 

At  the  zenith  of  his  power  and  usefulness  he  was  seized 
with  mortal  illness  and  died  suddenly,  iVugust  27,  1881.  Due 
honor  has  never  been  accorded  this  man:  but  his  srreatness 


LE  GRAND  CHRISTIAN   INSTITUTE  203 

was  recognizod  In  his  coiii[)eers  of  all  deuoininations.  There 
are  men  still  liviiij;  who  manifest  in  their  work  the  influence 
and  teaching  of  Austin  Craig.  No  man's  impress  is  so  visible 
as  his  in  the  Christian  Biblical  Institute,  even  at  the  present 
day. 

At  intervals  funds  were  raised  to  enlarge  the  Institute's 
endowment,  and  with  rigid  economy  all  bills  were  met. 
Finally,  in  1872,  the  board  of  trustees  decided  to  seek  a  per- 
manent location,  and  had  several  to  select  from,  eventually 
choosing  Stanfordville,  Dutchess  County,  N.  Y.,  on  the  railroad 
east  of  Poughkeepsie. 

Back  in  181G  a  boy  named  David  Clark  was  much  im- 
pressed by  the  preaching  of  Rev.  Levi  Hathaway,  a  noted 
evangelist  among  the  early  Christians  in  New  England,  who 
held  service  near  the  Clark  residence  in  eastern  Connecticut. 
Many  years  later,  when  Clark  lived  in  Hartford,  had  amassed 
ample  means,  and  had  thoroughly  devoted  himself  to  Christian 
beneficence,  he  began  to  think  how  he  might  aid  impecunious 
students  studying  for  the  ministry.  His  attention  was  called 
to  the  Christian  Biblical  Institute  which  he  visited  in  1872 
by  invitation.  There  he  found  need  for  his  l)enevolent  help, 
and  chiefly  through  his  agency  Stanfordville  was  made  the 
seat  of  the  Institute,  provided  Avith  a  main  building,  a  dor- 
mitory, a  president's  mansion,  and  a  small  farm.  No  one  can 
measure  the  worth  to  the  denomination  of  the  benefactions  of 
Hon.  David  Clark. 

Some  very  strong  men  have  been  connected  with  the 
faculty,  including  R.  J.  Wright,  Warren  Hathaway,  Isaac 
C.  Goff,  and  others,  besides  Drs.  Craig  and  Weston,  former 
Presidents.  Dr.  Weston  is  now  in  his  ninetieth  year,  a  man 
of  ripe  and  rich  scholarship. 

LE    GRAXD   CHRISTIAN    INSTITUTE 

The  idea  of  a  college  for  the  state  of  Iowa  was  born  of  a 
conversation  between  Rev.  J.  P.  Watson  and  Rev.  D.  M.  Lines. 


204  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

held  at  the  railroad  station  in  Belvidere,  111.,  when  the  latter 
proposed  to  the  former  that  they  go  to  the  new  country  of 
Iowa  and  there  establish  a  Christian  school.^  Both  went  to 
Iowa,  Watson  locating  at  Marshalltown,  and  Lines  going  a 
little  farther  east  to  Le  Grand.  Watson  hoped  to  gather 
several  small  country  churches  into  one  in  Marshalltown,  and 
then  build  a  school  there.  He  was  disappointed ;  and  then 
turned  attention  to  Le  Grand.  He  went  to  the  Iowa  Central 
Conference  with  his  school  project,  and  that  body  resolved  to 
establish  a  school,  appointing  a  committee  on  location.  The 
committee  found  the  people  of  Le  Grand  and  vicinity  ripe  for 
just  such  an  undertaking,  and  chose  to  locate  there.  This 
town  is  located  on  the  beautiful  rolling  prairie  east  of  Mar- 
shalltown, and  near  the  noted  Le  Grand  limestone  quarries, 
whence  came  the  group  of  Le  Grand  fossils  now  reposing  in 
the  Smithsonian  Institution  at  Washington,  D.  C.  Repre- 
sentative citizens  were  called  together  in  mass  meeting  to  con- 
sider the  project.  The  result  was  founding  of  Le  Grand 
Christian  Institute  in  1865,  Avith  Rev.  D.  M.  Lines  as  principal 
and  his  wife  as  assistant,  with  a  combined  salary  of  seventy-five 
dollars  per  month.  The  townspeople,  by  committee,  chose  a 
board  of  trustees  of  fifteen  members,  who  secured  a  twenty-five- 
year  charter  for  the  Institute,  in  April,  1865,  a  little  later 
turning  over  control  to  the  Iowa  Central  Christian  Conference, 
which,  in  turn,  transferred  the  school  to  the  Iowa  State  Chris- 
tian Conference.- 

Actual  school  operations  in  the  academical  department 
began  in  October  of  the  same  year,  sessions  being  held  in  the 
Christian  Church  building,  and  there  continuing  until  Septem- 
ber, 1867,  under  Mr.  Lines.  Meantime  the  first  Institute 
building  was  erected,  forty  by  sixty  feet,  two  stories  high,  with 
seven  rooms  and  a  chapel,  in  which  sessions  began  in  Septem- 
ber, under  the  principalship  of  Mrs.  Josephine  Guthrie.       In 

1  H.  G.  L.,  October  23.  1890.  ^  Most  of  the  material  for  this  sketch  was 

furnished  by  Rev.  J.  W.  Piper,  President  E.  C.  Kerr,  and  Rev.  J.  W.  Fortner. 


LE  GRAND  CHRISTIAN  INSTITUTE  205 

constructing  the  building  the  citizens  made  "bees"  and  hauled 
all  building  material  free.  Some  donated  money  and  labor.  The 
property  valuation  of  the  Institute  was  then  |1(),(KI(),  with 
$13,000  endowment.  Rev.  O.  A.  Roberts  was  elected  principal 
in  1808.  Patronage  was  good,  and  scholarship  was  main- 
tained at  high  grade.  Then  progress  was  hampered  by 
financial  troubles,  which  caused  suspension  of  Institute  sessions 
from  1870  to  1873,  in  the  hope  that  funds  might  be  secured  to 
meet  obligations  due.  As  elsewhere,  the  trouble  grew  out  of 
endowment  notes,  on  large  part  of  which  nothing  but  a  little 
interest  was  realized.  In  1873  Rev.  F.  R.  Wade  was  made 
principal  for  one  year,  with  an  assistant;  but  he  closed  the 
school  before  the  year  was  out.  Friends  rallied  for  a  deter- 
mined effort,  enabling  Prof.  Charles  Ellison  to  finish  out  the 
school  year,  and  he  retained  his  position  two  years  longer. 
Rev.  J.  Q.  Evans  followed  Prof.  Ellison,  it  being  stipulated 
that  whatever  was  received  on  endowment  notes  and  for  tuition 
should  constitute  his  salary.  Successful  work  was  done  until 
1878. 

Rev.  J.  Q.  Evans  and  Rev.  William  Bagley,  financial  agents 
of  the  school,  had  undertaken  to  i)lace  |o,000  of  cash  and  good 
pledges,  toward  a  new  building,  in  the  treasurer's  hands  not 
later  than  May  1,  1878.  On  the  strength  of  their  })romise, 
plans  and  specifications  for  a  students'  home  were  adopted  in 
March,  the  estimated  cost  of  the  building  to  be  about  |8.000. 
and  work  to  be  begun  May  1,  if  Evans  and  Bagley  fulfilled 
their  purpose.  The  money  was  in  hand  on  the  date  set,  and 
building  operations  began  at  once.  Rev.  Nicholas  Summer- 
bell  delivered  the  address  when  the  cornerstone  was  laid, 
in  June,  1878.  A  building  forty  by  one  hundred  feet,  with 
basement  and  three  stories  above,  was  commenced.  This  new 
edifice  was  built  to  connect  onto  the  east  end  of  the  old  one. 
No  room  was  left  suitable  for  school  sessions,  and  another 
interregnum  followed,  the  chief  struggle  being  to  complete  the 
new  edifice. 


206  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

By  those  best  acquainted  with  its  history,  S.  T.  and 
Harriet  Coate  are  regarded  as  the  real  founders  of  the  school, 
on  account  of  their  large  sacrifices  for  it;  and  doubtless  much 
credit  should  be  given  to  them.  But  many  another  nameless 
and  forgotten  friend  was  worthy  of  mention. 

WEAUBLEAU  CHRISTIAN  INSTITUTE 

In  the  late  sixties  there  was,  in  Hickory  County,  Missouri, 
a  ''lone  prairie"  which  is  to-day  the  site  of  a  thriving  town  and 
college.  A  sparsely  settled  community  occupied  that  locality. 
The  people  became  interested  in  education,  and  on  New  Year's 
day,  1868,  decided  to  build  a  two-story  brick  building  on  the 
prairie,  named  Weaubleau,  the  upper  story  for  church  pur- 
poses, the  lower  for  an  academy,  controlled  by  the  Christians. 
A  charter  was  obtained  in  1869.  In  October,  1871,  school 
began  sessions  in  the  building,  and  there  made  its  home  for 
twenty  years.  The  moving  spirit  in  this  enterprise  was  Rev. 
John  Whitaker,  a  minister  of  the  Christian  denomination,  who 
had  received  his  education  in  Union  Christian  College.  He 
was  organizer  and  pastor  of  the  church,  and  was  made  prin- 
cipal of  the  school. 

In  those  early  days  no  railroad  passed  within  forty  mile«i 
of  Weaubleau,  and  the  nearest  post-office  was  five  miles  away. 
Kansas  City  was  distant  one  hundred  thirty-five  miles.  Per- 
force patronage  of  the  academy  was  local.  The  community 
itself  was  pleasant,  and  the  prairie's  elevation — nine  hundred 
feet  above  sea  level — insured  healthfulness.  A  few  years  after 
the  school  was  founded  the  Frisco  railroad  was  built  through 
the  community,  and  a  small  town  sprang  up,  its  inhabitants 
prospered,  good  public  buildings  were  erected,  and  one  thou- 
sand people  to-day  enjoy  advantages  of  modern  town  life. 

John  Whitaker  was  born  in  Ohio,  in  1842,  his  parents 
moving  to  Iowa  when  he  was  very  young,  and  later  to  Missouri, 
where  he  lived  nearly  all  his  life  after  his  sixteenth  year. 
In    its    second    year    he    entered    Union    Christian    College, 


GRAHAM   INSTITUTE  207 

but  left  and  enlisted  in  the  army  at  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Civil  War,  serving  first  in  the  Missouri  mounted  militia,  and 
later  in  the  21st  Indiana  heavy  artillery.  He  was  in  service 
almost  continually  until  Lee's  surrender.  When  mustered  out 
of  service,  he  returned  and  completed  his  college  coursfe  at 
Merom,  and  then  went  to  Missouri.  He  began  to  preach  and 
was  ordained  to  the  ministry  in  1863,  becoming  pastor  of  the 
country  church  mentioned  early  in  the  above  sketch  of  the 
College.  His  marriage  to  Miss  Emiline  Earnest  occurred  in 
1866.  John  Whitaker  was  gifted  with  diverse  talents,  but  did 
his  great  work  as  an  educator.  His  students  received  a 
peculiar  inspiration  from  him,  and  many  of  them  became 
prominent  in  school  circles,  as  principals  or  superintendents  of 
schools.  Mr.  Whitaker  also  served  three  terms  in  the  state 
legislature,  his  last  election  being  by  the  largest  majority  ever 
given  to  a  candidate  in  Hickory  County.  His  genius  for 
business  was  remarkable,  and  he  might  have  become  a  wealthy 
man,  had  he  not  been  very  liberal  in  his  bestowal  of  his  means. 
The  College  greatly  benefitted  by  his  executive  talent.  At  the 
time  of  his  death,  in  1010,  he  was  president  of  the  Prownington 
State  Bank,  and  Supervisor  of  the  Census  in  his  congressional 
district.  In  addition  to  all  this  Dr.  Whitaker  displayed  con- 
siderable talent  as  platform  lecturer  and  as  an  author,  some 
of  his  literary  work  exhibiting  talent  of  the  first  order.  Prob- 
bly  no  man  did  so  much  to  establish  the  cause  of  the  Christians 
in  Missouri  as  did  he. 

GRAHAM    INSTITUTE 

Like  several  other  Institutes,  whose  history  we  are  tracing, 
this  one  ultimately  became  a  college.  The  North  Carolina  and 
Virginia  Conference  had  taken  hold  of  Rev.  J.  R.  Holt's  private 
school,  in  1840,  determined  to  make  a  conference  or  church 
institution  of  it.  At  Graham,  N.  C,  a  tw^o-story  brick  building 
was  erected,  and  ^Mr.  Holt  was  retained  in  charge  of  the  school, 
which  formally  opened  as  ''Graham  Institute"  in  July,  1852, 


208  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

remaining  until  1857.  The  last  named  year  ''Graham  College" 
was  chartered  as  a  co-educational  school  by  legislative  enact- 
ment, when  Rev.  W,  H,  Doherty,  of  Antioch  College,  Ohio,  was 
called  to  the  presidency.  Another  forward  step  occurred  in 
1858.  •  The  General  Convention  (South)  assumed  charge  of 
the  College,  choosing  a  board  of  trustees  for  it,  and  planning 
to  increase  its  stock  to  14,000.  Pronounced  success  attended 
the  College  until  Civil  War  times.  A  small  debt  was  hanging 
over  it,  and  the  trustees,  to  satisfy  that  claim,  sold  the  entire 
property,  investing  the  residue  in  Confederate  bonds.  When 
the  War  ended  the  bonds  were  worthless,  and  Graham  College 
was  no  longer  in  existence. 

Several  men  of  great  ability  and  worth  to  the  Christians 
attended  Graham  Institute  in  Mr.  Holt's  day.  He  is  even 
spoken  of  as  real  founder  of  Elon  College.^  After  quitting 
Graham  Institute,  Mr.  Holt  became  principal  of  an  academy 
in  Chatham  County,  and  then  of  an  academy  in  Randolph 
County,  N.  C.  His  worth  as  an  educator  seems  never  to  have 
been  fairly  appreciated.  Just  before  his  death,  he  and  other 
members  of  a  committee  were  planning  to  make  Shiloh  Acad- 
emy, scene  of  his  last  labors,  a  school  of  the  Deep  River 
Christian  Conference. 

GRAHAM   COLLEGE 

From  1801  to  1869  the  Graham  College  property  was  a 
tobacco  warehouse.  Rev.  W.  S.  Long,  an  educator  of 
excellent  success  and  ability,  opened  a  private  school  in 
Graham  town,  which  was  greatly  prospered.  The  prosperity 
demanded  larger  quarters,  and  Dr.  Long  purchased  the  old 
Graham  College  property,  renovated  it,  and  moved  his  school 
to  it.  Success  continued.  Rev.  D.  A.  Long  also  a 
successful  educator,  was  associated  with  his  brother  in  the 
College,  and  about  1875  bought  the  institution,  and  obtained 
a  charter  for  it  under  caption  of  ''Graham  Normal  College," 

1  Chris.   Sun,  January  25,  1911. 


TWO  NEW  ENGLAND  INSTITUTES  209 

Here  he  continued  until  1883,  seeing  his  school  growing  and 
widening  its  intiuence.  Then  he  accepted  the  presidency  of 
Antioch  College.  How  the  present  Elon  College  grew  out  of 
this  school  is  subject  for  a  later  chapter. 

NEW  ENGLAND  CHRISTIAN   LITERARY   INSTITUTE 

For  this  Institute  a  long  and  determined  fight  was  made 
by  Christians  in  New  England,  as  many  hopes  were  bound  up 
with  its  success  or  failure.  In  February,  lS,'i7,  the  New 
England  Christian  Literary  Institute  was  formally  opened,  at 
Andover,  N.  H.,  a  small  town  among  the  hills  a  few  miles  north- 
west of  Franklin.  A  considerable  numbrr  of  prominent  lay- 
men and  ministers  comi)osed  its  board  of  trustees,  Hon.  Samuel 
Butterfield,  of  Concord,  being  President.  J.  Wesley  Simonds, 
M.  A.,  thoroughly  competent  and  favorably  known,  was  head 
master,  assisted  by  seven  other  instructors.  Neai-ly  one  hun- 
dred pupils  enrolled  the  first  session,  and  in  all  respects  except 
finances  prosperity  seemed  assurer!.  But  the  money  end 
dragged.  The  Merrimack  Conference,  foster-parent  of  the 
Andover  school,  labored  to  rid  it  of  debt  about  1859;  and  when 
Rev.  J.  W.  Haley  became  head  in  18(50,  he  urged  raising  endow- 
ment funds.  That  expedient  was  tried  and  realized  something 
more  than  ^5,000  under  Rev.  Thomas  Bartlett's  administration. 
As  funds  were  utterly  inadequate,  Andover  Institute  had  to 
bow  to  the  inevitable  and  suspend,  late  in  the  year  1865. 

WOLFEBORO  CHRISTIAN  INSTITUTE 

About  this  time  a  plan  was  executed  which  practically 
saved  all  that  w^as  salvable  of  the  Andover  school.  There  was 
in  Wolfeboro,  on  beautiful  Winnipesaukee  Lake,  a  defunct 
school  called  "Wolfeborough  and  Tuftonborough  Academy,"  a 
building  for  which  the  citizens  of  those  towns  erected  in  1820. 
It,  too,  had  failed  for  lack  of  endowment,  leaving  the  building 
idle  for  many  years.  About  1865  someone  began  to  talk  of 
moving  the  Andover  school  to  Wolfeboro  to  utilize  the  old 


210  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Academy  property.  Accordingly  when  the  New  England 
Christian  Convention  and  its  co-ordinate  organizations  met  in 
1866,  a  plan  was  sprung :  Convention  recommended  removal  to 
Wolfeboro,  and  application  of  funds  belonging  to  the  Andover 
school  toward  endowment  for  a  merged  school  to  be  known  as 
"Wolfeboro  Christian  Institute."  The  Educational  Society 
(one  of  the  co-ordinate  bodies  of  the  Convention)  leased  the 
old  Academy  property,  repaired  the  building,  and  opened  school 
in  1866  under  Principal  E.  F.  Moulton.  Unfortunately  divis- 
ion of  sentiment  about  Institute  management  existed  in  the 
town  and  board  of  trustees,  and  meddlers  interfered  with  its 
management.  In  1870  J.  W.  Simonds,  once  at  the  head  of 
Andover  Institute,  was  engaged,  the  management  was  re-organ- 
ized, and  success  attended  the  school. 

The  trustees  carefully  considered  all  conditions  and  the 
Institute's  welfare  in  1873,  finally  voting  to  remove  from  Wolfe- 
boro.  A  debt  of  |5,000  confronted  the  Educational  Society 
in  1870.  An  effort  was  made  to  clear  that  off  and  raise 
120,000  endowment.  Debt  and  unpleasantness  over  the  school 
evidently  tipped  the  balance  for  removal.  Hence  it  went  back 
to  Andover  in  1874,  and  has  since  been  known  as  Proctor 
Academy.  Attendance  was  good  in  the  new  location,  but  the 
Academy  never  escaped  its  financial  difficulties  while  under 
control  of  the  Christians.  About  1879  a  proposition  to  sell 
was  made  to  the  Educational  Society,  and  eventually  Proctor 
Academy  was  purchased  by  TTnitarians,  provided  with  com- 
modious buildings,  and  adequately  endowed.  To-day  the 
Academy  prospers  and  has  a  good  constituency.  Thus  ended 
the  very  determined  struggle  in  New  England  to  plant  and 
maintain  a  school.      Nothing  was  lacking  except  endowment. 

STARKEY    SEMINARY 

When  Prof.  Chadwick  assumed  charge  of  the  Seminary  in 
1847,  a  most  discouraging  task  confronted  him.  He  was  him- 
self a  man  of  splendid  training  and  scholarly  tastes,  a  graduate 


STARKF.Y  SEMINARY  211 

of  Bowdoin  College  and  Bangor  Theological  Seminary.  He 
faced  this  situation :  The  buildings  were  dilapidated,  students 
had  decreased  till  but  few  were  left,  the  institution  had  but 
little  equipment,  the  external  appearance  of  the  school  was 
verj'  uninviting;  add  to  this  a  lack  of  funds  and  an  existing 
debt,  and  one  may  imagine  what  a  task  was  before  the  new 
principal.  But  without  wavering  he  set  himself  to  work.  A 
charter  was  secured  in  1848,  and  thenceforward  the  Seminary 
was  under  care  of  the  regents  of  the  New  York  State  T^niver- 
sity,  eligible  to  receive  public  funds  for  educational  purposes. 
Pr(9f.  Chad  wick's  energetic  administration  soon  provided  an 
able  faculty,  raised  the  standard  of  instruction,  increased  the 
list  of  students  to  about  three  hundred,  drawing  them  from 
Canada,  New  England,  Pennsylvania,  Michigan,  Kentucky, 
Indiana,  as  well  as  New  York;  the  library  had  twelve  hundred 
volumes;  and  discipline  and  morale  improved  veiy  greatly. 
All  this  improvement  meant  good  backing  from  friends  of  the 
institution  and  the  board  of  trustees.  Mrs.  Chadwick  is  said 
to  have  added  very  much  to  Starkey's  success.  In  teaching 
ability  she  was  her  husband's  peer.  The  years  of  Prof.  Chad- 
wick's  administration  were  fruitful  in  sending  out  men  and 
women  who  reached  high  stations  and  filled  capable  spheres  of 
life. 

In  the  fall  of  18G1  Prof.  O.  F.  Ingoldsby  assumed  charge. 
He  had  already  spent  five  years  in  the  school  as  student  and 
teacher.  He  had  largely  imbibed  Prof.  Chadwick's  spirit,  and 
to  that  is  probably  due  much  of  his  success,  for  his  administra- 
tion was  eminently  successful,  although  he  began  his  labors 
just  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War. 

Attendance  upon  sessions  was  not  what  it  had  been  i)rior 
to  w^ar  times,  but  Prof.  Ingoldsby  became  very  popular,  and 
students  overcrowded  his  school.  By  permission  of  the  trus- 
tees, he  undertook  to  raise  money  for  another  building,  securing 
eight  thousand  dollars  in  sixty  days.  Construction  of  a  new 
building  began  at  once,  and  in  December,  1866,  Hathaway  Hall, 


212  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

so  named  for  Elisha  Hathaway,  of  Bristol,  R.  I.,  was  opened 
for  use  as  a  ladies'  dormitory.  Much  labor  and  money  were 
still  required  to  complete  the  new  dormitory  and  i)ut  other 
buildings  and  the  grounds  in  proper  condition.  Old  students 
know  very  well  how  much  Prof.  Ingoldby's  services  were  worth 
to  Starkey  and  the  denomination.  Prof.  B.  F.  McHenry  and 
Prof.  R.  D.  p]vans  upheld  the  high  standard  set  by  their  prede- 
cessors, the  latter  closing  his  term  of  service  in  1878,  when 
Prof.  Ingoldsby  again  became  head  of  the  Seminary.  The 
Christians  of  New  York  have  had  reason  to  congratulate  them- 
selves upon  Starkey's  good  record,  and  the  years  just  reviewed 
are  recalled  as  the  halcyon  days  of  Starkey  Seminary.  In  a 
later  chapter  more  will  be  said  of  the  enlarged  school. 

OTHER   SCHOOLS 

Holy  Neck  Female  Seminary,  located  near  a  church  of  that 
name  in  Nansemond  County,  Virginia,  in  1853,  was  established 
through  the  instrumentality  of  Rev.  W.  B.  Wellons,  of  the 
Eastern  Virginia  Conference,  who  had  previously  conducted  a 
school  for  young  ladies  in  Suffolk,  Virginia,  in  his  home.  At 
a  confemnce  held  the  year  named,  Mr.  Wellons  advocated 
establishing  a  school  for  young  ladies,  and  subscriptions  were 
taken  to  the  amount  of  two  thousand  dollars.  For  several 
years  the  Seminary  seems  to  have  continued,  and  then  it  drop- 
ped out  of  sight. 

In  New  England,  located  at  Middleboro,  Massachusetts, 
was  a  private  school,  founded  in  1854,  generally  considered  as 
a  denominational  institution,  being  owned  by  Amos  H.  Eaton, 
of  Middleboro,  and  Rev.  H.  M.  Eaton,  of  Providence,  Rhode 
Island.  It  was  advertised  in  denominational  periodicals  and 
received  the  backing  of  the  brotherhood,  so  far  as  moral  influ- 
ence and  patronage  were  concerned. 

In  the  minutes  of  the  American  Christian  Convention  for 
1866,  and  in  current  periodicals  for  the  year,  occurs  the  name 
of  a  school  called  Red  Creek  Academy,  located  at  a  place  of 


OTHER  SCHOOLS  218 

that  nanie  in  New  York  state.  This  school  also  received 
patronage  from  the  Christians,  and  its  principal  was  ex-oflQcio 
member  of  the  American  Christian  Convention.  Doubtless 
other  schools  had  a  loose  connection  with  the  Christians, 
receiving  both  their  moral  support  and  patronage  of  their 
youth.  Of  Suffolk  Collegiate  Institute,  at  Sutfolk,  Virginia, 
more  will  be  said  in  a  following  chapter,  since  its  history  lies 
mostly  in  a  period  treated  of  later.  The  year  book  for  1879 
advertises  Quaker  Strec^t  Institute,  at  Quaker  Street,  N.  Y.,  a 
school  that  sought  patronage  like  many  another  of  similar 
character. 

Looking  back  one  admires  the  character  and  consecration 
of  those  men  and  women  who  established  early  institutions  of 
learning,  or  made  heroic  sacrifices  to  that  end.  Educationally 
they  were  strong  and  capable,  holding  first-class  rank  as  edu- 
cators, maintaining  a  high  standard  of  excellence  in  instruc- 
tion, and  had  sufficient  money  been  behind  their  enterprises, 
marked  success  would  have  followed.  This  chapter  has  clearly 
revealed  the  fruits  of  the  early  revival  of  education  among 
the  Christians.  Struggles  and  sacrifices  there  were  in  abun- 
dance, mistakes  were  plentiful,  but  educational  work  was  begun 
that  proved  both  permanent  and  highly  beneficial.  Denomi- 
national development  was  rapid  during  those  years. 


214  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  IX 

Printed  Minutas  of  the  American  Christian  Convention  for  1S66 
and  1890. 

Printed  Minutes  of  the  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  Conference 
for  1875. 

Printed  Minutes  of  the  New  Enghmd  Christian  Convention  for  1866, 
1868  and  1875. 

Christian  Almanac  for  1860,  1875  and  1877. 

Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  February  19,  1852;  March  12,  and  April 
23,  1857 ;  December  8,  1858 ;  September  1,  1887. 

Christian  Palladimn,  Vols.  XIII,  XV,  XIX,  XXVI. 

Gospel  Herald,  Vol.  II. 

Lives  of  Christian  Ministers,  by  P.  J.  Kernodle,  M.  A.,  referred  to 
in  previous  chapters. 

Memoir  of  Rev.  Joseph  Badger,  by  E.  G.  Holland,  referred  to  in  a 
previous  chapter. 

The  autobiography  of  Elder  Matthew  Gardner,  edited  by  N.  Sum- 
merbell,  D.  D.    The  Christian  Publishing  Association,  Dayton,  Ohio,  1874. 

Memoir  of  Rev.  David  Millard,  by  his  son,  D.  E.  Millard.  The  Chris- 
tian Publishing  Association,  Dayton,  Ohio,  1874. 

History  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  N.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

Horace  Mann,  Educator,  Patriot  and  Reformei*,  by  George  Allen 
Hubbell,  Ph.  D.      William  F.  Fell  Co.,  Philadelphia,  1910. 


CHAPTER   X 


CHAPTER  X 

Christian  General  Convention — Other  Conventions — 
Journalism 

J8o0-1877 

WE  HAVE  already  studied  tlie  quadrennial  session  of  the 
Christian  General  Convention  of  1850,  and  its  enlarged 
organization  and  plans.  Here  we  continue  that 
body's  history.  During  the  quadrennium  following  1850, 
Antioch  College  became  a  reality,  and  proved  a  great  denomi- 
national stimulus,  bringing  the  denomination  into  considerable 
prominence  in  the  country.  Therefore,  when  the  Convention 
met  in  Christian  Chapel,  Longworth  lr>treet,  Cincinnati,  in  1854, 
it  was  still  under  imjiulse  of  the  Marion,  N,  Y.,  gathering  of 
four  years  previous,  and  the  flush  of  the  college  project 
achieved.  A  thoroughly  representative  body  of  ministers  and 
laymen  gathered  at  Cincinnati,  to  forward  the  cause,  nearly 
six  hundred  voting  members  being  present.  The  whole  assem- 
bly felt  that  grave  questions  were  impending,  and  perhaps 
no  session  of  the  Convention  before  or  since  has  been  under 
like  tension.  Already  disquieting  rumors  and  some  prejudice 
had  arisen  regarding  the  president  and  administration  of 
Antioch  College.  Some  were  disappointed  that  a  hoped-for 
theological  department  could  not  be  added  to  Antioch,  while 
others  felt  considerable  relief  that  the  needed  school  of  the 
prophets  was  not  located  there;  the  general  feeling  was  that 
a  theological  school  must  be  had,  and  yet  many  able  men  did 
not  favor  special  theological  training.  The  alliance  of  Chris- 
tians with  T'^nitarians  at  Mcadville  Theological  School  was  not 
hailed  with  acclamation,  and  even  when  Rev.  Dr.  R.  P.  Steb- 
bins,  the  scholarly  Christian  ])resident  of  that  School  affiliated 
himself  with  the  Christians,  he  was  not  received  with  open 


218  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

arms.  When  the  Convention  at  Cincinnati  was  organized 
for  business  and  Dr.  Stebbins  was  made  president,  that  action 
disquieted  not  a  few.  It  is  easy  to  see  how  the  educational 
question  was  involved,  and  why  much  anxiety  had  been 
awakened. 

The  slavery  question  was  agitating  the  whole  country. 
Northern  conferences  and  periodicals  had  been  outspoken  in 
condemnation  of  slaveholding,  and  the  southern  organ  had 
made  rejoinder  in  spirited  manner,  although  southern  con- 
ference sentiment  was  expressed  in  rather  more  temperate 
language. 

Clay's  compromise  plan  of  1850,  and  the  Kansas-Nebraska 
controversy  in  1854  had  inflamed  moral  sentiment  in  the  North 
to  almost  unendurable  heat.  When  the  Christian  General 
Convention  gathered,  its  members  could  not  do  otherwise  than 
manifest  popular  agitation  and  sentiment.  These  in  brief 
were  reasons  for  that  unusual  tension  under  which  the  Cin- 
cinnati convention  labored.  Printed  reports  of  remarks  and 
debates  as  business  proceeded  are  exceedingly  interesting. 

The  Christian  Book  Association  met  contemporaneously 
with  the  Convention,  members  of  one  organization  being  also 
members  of  the  other.  Convention  considered  these  subjects : 
temperance,  anti-slavery,  peace,  religious  liberty.  Sabbath  ob- 
servance, tobacco  use,  pauperism  and  crime,  woman's  rights, 
need  of  a  Biblical  school  and  more  Sunday-schools. 

Like  the  previous  quadrennial  session,  this  one  saw  neces- 
sity for  organized  missionary  effort,  and  it  elected  a  Board  of 
Missions,^  to  care  for  the  ^'Foreign  and  Domestic  Missions  of 
the  Church ;"  but  that  Board  was  dilatory  in  organizing  and 
failed  to  accomplish  anything  of  moment.  Of  course  it  had 
nothing  to  work  with. 

A  resolution  passed  the  Convention  raising  a  committee 

1 1.  C.  Goff,  New  Jersey ;  E.  Fay,  New  York ;  E.  Edmunds,  Massachusetts ; 
N.  S'ummerbell,  Ohio ;  Thomas  Henry,  Canada ;  M.  Kidder,  Vermont ;  S.  S. 
Kimball.  Illinois. 


CHRISTIAN  GENERAL  CONVENTION  219 

of  ten  to  report  at  the  next  Convention  on  a  "Biblical  School." 
That  question  was  eased  ofif  for  the  time  being. 

But  when  the  committee  of  Ihreo,  A.  L.  McKinney,  Philetus 
Roberts  and  W.  B.  Wellons,  that  had  been  considering  slavery, 
offered  majority  and  minority  reports,  a  crisis  was  reached  in 
Convention.  Two  northern  men  and  one  southern  composed 
the  committee.  The  majority  report  was  read,  declaring 
slavery  an  infringement  of  human  rights,  which  should  by  all 
honorable  means  be  stopped  from  spreading  into  territory 
where  it  did  not  then  exist.  As  for  slaveholding  brethren  in 
the  South,  no  radical  measure  was  recommended;  but  they 
were  earnesth'  desired  to  retreat  from  their  position  concern- 
ing enslavement  of  human  beings.  At  once  debate  was  pre- 
cipitated, and  amendments  were  offered.  Rev.  W.  B.  Wellons, 
the  southern  member,  offered  his  minority  report,  and  was 
briefly  heard  in  its  behalf.  He  assumed  the  denominational 
position,  individual  liberty  and  right  of  private  judgment, 
insisting  that  the  South  had  a  right  to  manage  her  own 
domestic  institutions.  Further  amendment  of  the  majority 
report  was  offered,  making  it  still  more  offensive,  demanding 
that  slavery  and  its  supporters  should  be  disfellowshiped. 
Bearing,  of  Michigan,  explained  that  he  was  instructed  to  offer 
such  a  resolution,  and  that  his  conference  would  not  hold 
representation  in  a  body  that  had  pro-slavery  representatives. 
Several  other  delegates  said  their  conferences  held  a  like  pur- 
pose. A  resolution  was  offered  declaring  the  Fugitive  Slave 
Law  contrary  to  Biblical  teaching,  and  demanding  repeal  of 
the  Missouri  Compromise.  Then  Wellons  arose,  declaring  that 
his  further  participation  in  the  Convention  seemed  undesired, 
and  that  he  would  withdraw  on  behalf  of  his  constituency. 
He  left  the  room,  and  others  with  him.  Debate  was  shut  off 
by  the  presiding  officer,  the  motion  put,  and  the  majority  report 
carried.  Thus  the  denomination  w^as  cleft,  and  each  section 
went  its  own  way  for  nearly  forty  years.  A  considerable 
portion  of  the  Convention's  members  felt  that  action  had  been 


220  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

too  precipitate,  and  that  tlie  language  used  in  the  resolution 
and  debate  were  needlessly  severe;  but  that  the  moral  issue 
itself  demanded  positive  action  against  slavery. 

For  several  years  slavery  and  the  Cincinnati  convention's 
action  were  discussed  in  denominational  periodicals  and  in 
conferences,  engendering  further  bitterness  between  the 
northern  and  southern  sections,  and  in  1856  the  churches  South 
virtually  became  a  separate  denomination,  re-organizing  with 
closer  fellowship  for  mutual  preservation. 

In  1858  the  Christian  General  Convention  convened  in 
Clinton  Hall,  New  York  City.  For  sevaral  years  the  Chris- 
tians had  prospered  in  the  metropolis,  and  strong  men  had  been 
leading.  The  time  was  auspicious  for  a  convention  in  New 
York,  and  many  interests  needing  care  were  located  eastward. 
Attendance  was  not  large,  but  important  matters  came  from 
committees  to  the  Convention.  How  to  redeem  Antioch  was 
earnestly  discussed;  but  no  satisfactory  solution  was  found. 
One  delegate  had  in  mind  publication  of  a  Sunday-school 
paper,  and  its  establishment  was  recommended  by  Convention. 
Consolidation  of  all  denominational  periodicals  into  one  was 
recommended,  together  with  formation  of  a  stock  company 
publishing  association  for  all  the  denomination.  A  commit- 
tee was  chosen  to  secure  a  charter  for  such  an  association. 
Hitherto  the  Convention  had  acted  as  a  voluntary  deliberative 
body  without  constitution ;  but  matters  had  arisen  showing  the 
wisdom  of  complete  organization,  and  during  this  Convention  a 
form  of  constitution  and  by-laws  was  reported  and  adopted — 
a  long  step  in  advance. 

Medway,  a  charming  country  village  near  the  foot  of  the 
Catskill  Mountains  in  New  York,  entertained  the  United 
States  Quadrennial  Christian  Convention  in  1862.  There  a 
committee  of  fifteen  was  appointed  to  negotiate  for  publica- 
tion of  a  "central"  denominational  organ  to  be  secured  as  soon 
as  practicable ;  and  Convention  furthermore  recommended  that 
the  Christian  General  Book  Association  place  its  property  at 


CHRISTIAN  GENERAL  CONVENTION  221 

the  disposal  of  a  new  incorporated  body  planned  by  a  ''Central 
Convention"  for  publication  of  that  central  organ.  This 
action  indicated  strong  demand  for  an  organ  of  denominational 
scoj)e  and  circulation,  with  a  publishing  establishment  for  de- 
nominational hcachinarters  for  such  business.  Educational 
matters  were  still  a  live  theme,  and  this  Convention  was  keenly 
awake  to  Antioeh's  struggles. 

Forty  conferences  had  representation  when,  at  Marshall, 
Mich.,  the  quadrennial  of  1866  convened.  This  Convention 
was  reported  in  metropolitan  papers,  and  greetings  were 
received  from  the  governor.  A  business  committee  reported 
ten  items  of  business  for  consideration,  with  resolutions  to  be 
offered  concerning  eight  of  them. 

A  Sunday-school  paper,  The  Sunday  School  Herald,  had 
been  started  in  1865,  and  its  success  w^as  hailed  with  gratifica- 
tion.^ Failure  actually  to  launch  the  theological  school 
project  prompted  this  Convention  to  appoint  a  committee  of 
nine,  three  from  New  England,  three  from  the  Central  states 
and  three  from  the  West,  to  locate  a  Biblical  school  and  raise 
an  endowment.  Before  Convention  adjourned  this  committee 
voted  to  locate  the  Biblical  school  in  New  York  state;  adopted 
a  form  of  subscription  blank;  chose  a  committee  really  to 
establish  the  school ;  selected  fifteen  persons  as  its  first  board 
of  trustees;  and  called  upon  each  of  the  forty  conferences  rej)- 
resented  in  Convention  to  pledge  one  thousand  dollars  or  the 
expense  of  a  thorough  conference  canvass.  Twenty-two  con- 
ferences quickly  responded  guaranteeing-  expenses  of  canvass. 
The  Christian  Biblical  Institute  was  really  born  at  Marshall, 
Michigan.  The  most  ambitious  plan  was  for  the  Convention 
to  organize  a  National  Sunday-school  Association,  with  auxil- 
iary state  associations — a  plan  that  never  matured,  however. 

To  secure  better  organization  the  constitution  of  1858  was 

^  star  in  the  East.  p\iblished  weekly  by  Rev.  11.  P.  Guilford,  Haverhill,  Mass., 
had  considerable  circulation  among  the  Christians. 


222  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

revised,  and  henceforth  the  body  became  ^'The  American  Chris- 
tian Convention."  Various  enterprises  and  denominational 
organizations  were  grouped  in  departments:  missionary,  edu- 
cational, publishing,  Sabbath-school  and  treasury;  each  de- 
partment to  be  supervised  by  a  secretary,  and  the  secretaries 
to  form  an  Executive  Board  for  the  Convention.  This  plan 
is  still  in  operation  and  increasingly  effective.^ 

During  this  Marshall  Convention  two  thousand  five  hun- 
dred dollars  were  raised  for  benevolent  purposes.  No  session 
of  the  Convention  ever  took  more  important  actions  than  that 
of  1866,  which  must  stand  out  prominently  in  any  true  history 
of  the  Christians'  movement. 

Since  about  1820  the  Christians  have  been  an  international 
body.  In  token  thereof  the  Convention  of  1870  went  to 
Oshawa,  Canada,  on  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Ontario.  This 
was  the  twenty-third  General  Convention,  and  eleventh  quad- 
rennial convention  of  the  Christians  in  America.  A  large 
number  of  delegates  attended.  It  was  voted  to  raise  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars  by  apportionment  for  a  church 
extension  fund.  The  committee  chosen  in  1866  and  empowered 
to  establish  the  Christian  Biblical  Institute  reported  that 
school  in  its  second  year,  with  |37,810.50  real  estate,  cash, 
bonds  and  notes,  secured  for  endowment.  Providing  a  first- 
class  publishing  house  was  regarded  as  perhaps  the  chief  busi- 
ness before  Convention.  One  hundred  forty-nine  ministers, 
thirty-six  laymen,  and  thirty-seven  laywomen  were  reported 
as  members  of  this  Convention.  New  departures  were:  a 
Board  of  Ministerial  Education  designed  to  help  worthy  per- 
sons to  secure  a  theological  training  in  Christian  Biblical 
Institute  or  other  approved  schools,  and  the  Christian  Minis- 
ters'  Life  Assurance  Association.       Neither  existed   long  or 

'The  first  executive  board  wns  composed  of  D.  P.  Pike.  Massachusetts. 
President ;  N.  Summerbell,  Ohio,  Secretary  ;  K  Coffin.  New  York,  Treasurer : 
D.  E.  Millard,  Michigan,  Secretary  of  Missions ;  J.  W.  Haley,  Massachusetts. 
Secretary  of  Education  ;  I.  C.  Golf,  Illinois,  Secretary  of  Publishing. 


DEDICATING  THE  BIBLICAL  INSTITUTE         223 

accomplished  much.^  The  new  plans  launched  were 
rather  more  than  could  be  put  into  effect  within  a  quad- 
rennium. 

An  extra  session  was  called  at  Troy,  Ohio,  June,  1872,  at 
which  provision  was  made  for  imraediatel}-  incorporating  the 
Convention  (the  action  at  Oshawa,  Canada,  not  being  legal), 
and  a  committee  reported  it  i)racticable  and  desirable  that  The 
Christian  Publishing  Association  and  American  Christian  Con- 
vention should  be  united.  A  constitution  was  adopted  for  the 
"American  Christian  Church  Extension  Society,"  its  object 
being  to  aid  in  ''support  of  local  and  itinerant  missionaries, 
and  in  building  and  redeeming  houses  of  worship,"  a  work  now 
conducted  by  the  Mission  Department.  General  offerings  for 
church  extension  and  education  were  ordered. 

DEDICxVTING    THE    BIBLICAL    INSTITUTE 

Peculiar  interest  attached  to  the  quadrennial  of  1874, 
because  it  was  held  at  Stanfordville,  N.  Y.,  the  new  seat  of 
Christian  Biblical  Institute,  and  Convention  dedicated  the  new 
buildings,  the  munificent  gift  of  Hon.  David  Clark,  of  Hartford, 
Conn.  Great  joy  attended  the  occasion.  Many  people  jour- 
neyed to  the  little  village  of  Standfordville,  lying  beautifully 
hill-girt,  a  few  miles  northeast  of  Poughkeepsie,  to  see  the  new 
"school  of  the  prophets,"  and  to  share  in  the  common  joy. 
Other  matters,  as  usual,  were  carefully  canvassed  by  Conven- 
tion; e.  g.,  publishing  interests  occupied  a  large  place.  But 
chief  interest  centered  around  the  dedicatory  cermonies  of 
October  7,  1874.  Across  the  entrance  to  the  Institute  grounds 
stretched  a  large  banner  with  the  word  "Christian,"  and  the 
porch,  which  served  as  speaker's  stand,  was  decorated  with 
flowers  and  autumn  leaves.      Before  the  building  out  of  doors 

'  From  October  14.  1870.  to  September  0,  1874.  assessments  and  donations 
received  by  the  Association  amounted  to  $1,1?!G.50:  and  five  death  benefits  were 
paid.  The  iiicrhest  number  of  ministers  paying  assessments  was  102.— See  H.  G. 
\j.,  September  19.  1874.  A  month  later  the  membership  was  reported  as  171. 
Decline  came  during  the  nest  few  years. 


224  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

sat  tlie  audience,  a  considerable  number  of  carriages  and 
wagons  being  drawn  up  in  a  semi-circle  round  about  and 
occupied  as  vantage  points. 

A  principal  part  of  the  ceremony  was  an  address  by  Mr. 
Clark,  reminiscent  of  his  life,  awakened  interest  in  theological 
students,  introduction  to  the  Christian  Biblical  Institute,  and 
final  accomplishment  of  his  ideal.  He  formally  presented  to 
the  Board  of  Trustees  a  gift  deed  and  keys. 

Kev.  Isaac  C.  Goff,  president  of  the  Board,  responded  to 
Mr.  Clark's  address,  receiving  deed  and  keys.  He  recounted 
at  length  Rev.  Simon  Clough's  proposal  to  Rev.  Henry  Ware, 
Jr.,  a  Unitarian  minister  in  Boston,  that  the  two  denomina- 
tions should  unite  in  founding  a  theological  school  in  the 
Hudson  valley;  how  Unitarians  and  Christians  co-operated  in 
1843  and  subsequently  in  establishing  Meadville  Theological 
School,  and  how  Rev.  David  INIillard  held  a  professorship  there; 
the  effort  of  Rev.  Oliver  Barr  to  found  a  theological  department 
in  Antioch  College;  revival  of  the  Biblical  school  question  in 
1856  to  1866 ;  actual  opening  of  that  school  in  1800 ;  and  the 
final  location  at  Stanfordville,  where  Simon  Clough's  valuable 
library  then  reposed  in  the  Institute's  custody. 

The  dedicatory  prayer  was  offered  by  Rev.  B.  S.  Batchelor, 
of  Massachusetts.  Several  addresses  were  made,  and  in 
answer  to  an  appeal  forty-six  hundred  dollars  were  subscribed 
for  the  Institute's  benefit. 

Publishing  interests  occupied  much  time  at  this  Conven- 
tion, the  problem  being  how  to  subordinate  those  interests  to 
the  Convention  itself. 

Enthusiasm  from  previous  quadrennials  reached  the  ses- 
sion of  1878  at  Franklin,  Ohio.  Large  and  representative 
delegations,  both  ministers  and  laymen,  journeyed  to  that 
Ohio  town  on  the  Miami  River  south  of  Dayton.  A  novel 
feature  of  the  program  was  a  public  conversation  on  ''The 
Mutual  Duties  of  the  Ministry  and  Laity,"  between  Hon. 
David  Clark  and  Rev.  Austin  Craig.       Hitherto  attempts  to 


->^f- 


-^. 


SOUTHERN  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION  225 

gather  Sunday-school  statistics  had  not  met  with  great  success ; 
and  even  now  the  Sunday-school  Secretary  could  secure  replies 
from  only  about  lour  laindred  twenty  schools.  However,  he 
estimated  the  whole  number  of  schools  at  about  eight  hundred, 
and  their  total  membership  at  forty-one  thousand — great 
advance  over  preceding  periods. 

The  constitution  was  amended,  creating  a  mission  board  of 
five  persons,  comjjrising  the  Department  Secretary  as  president 
ex-officio,  and  four  others  elected  by  Convention.  The  Church 
Extension  Society  was  merged  in  the  mission  department,  and 
Secretaries  Watson  and  Millard  rendered  encouraging  reports. 

The  Christian  Publishing  Association  had  passed  through 
great  financial  struggles,  but  conditions  were  reported  better, 
with  nine  thousand  dollars  of  debts  paid.  The  Sunday-school 
Department  was  to  have  assistants  from  the  various  confer- 
ences, to  help  gather  statistics  and  promote  organization  of 
schools.  The  Ministers'  Life  Assurance  Association,  organized 
at  Oshawa  in  1S70.  was  i-e-organized  and  incorporated  under 
Ohio  laws  in  1878,  bearing  a  new  charter  name,  ''The  Christian 
Relief  Association,"  with  headquarters  at  Troy,  Ohio.  Noth- 
ing worth  mentioning  came  of  that  corporation. 

Readers  are  reminded  how  the  Convention's  history  illus- 
trates an  old  truth  concerning  co-operation,  and  how  the  whole 
cause  advanced  as  the  Convention  advanced.  This  central 
body  initiated  projects,  calling  the  brotherhood  to  support 
them,  and  success  was  usually  assured. 

SOUTHERN  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION 

There  was  a  Southern  Christian  Association  formed  in 
1847  embracing  all  southern  conferences;  but  its  scope  and 
strength  were  not  adequate  for  a  growing  cause.  A  stronger 
general  organization  was  desired,  especially  consequent  upon 
the  division  of  1854  at  Cincinnati ;  for  prevalent  agitation  and 
political  turmoil  accentuated  need  for  closest  fellowship. 
Hence  the  old  Association  was  superseded  in  1856  by  a  new 


226  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

stronger  fellowship  bond  called  ''General  Convention  of  the 
Christian  Church,  South,"  organized  at  Union  Chapel,  Ala- 
mance County,  N.  C.  Its  cause  grew  almost  magically.  And 
then  supervened  an  awful  desolating  Civil  War.  If  northern 
conferences  felt  the  drain,  what  must  be  said  of  the  Southern 
Convention,  on  the  scene  of  terrible  struggles  and  bloody  bap- 
tism, with  conferences  and  churches  prostrated  and  meetings 
suspended  ?  Not  until  1866  was  the  second  convention  session 
held  at  Mt.  Auburn,  Warren  County,  N.  C.  Dr.  W.  B.  Wellons 
has  left  on  record  a  vivid  picture  of  that  meeting,  how  people 
gathered  and  surveyed  the  ruin  and  prostration  of  all  their 
work  and  enterprises.  He  said :  ''In  the  territory  embraced 
by  this  Convention  our  prospects  had  been  blasted,  our  hopes 
had  perished,  our  labor  and  sacrifices  were  lost,  and  our  com- 
forts were  gone.  Our  ability  to  rise  from  our  prostrate  con 
dition  was  doubtful ;  the  policy  of  those  who  defeated  us  was 
yet  undeveloped,  and  the  future  was  all  uncertain.  Oh !  who 
can  recall  the  feelings  and  exercises  of  his  mind  at  that  dark 
hour  and  not  feel  sadness  creeping  over  him?  Good  men 
turned  pale  and  looked  one  toward  another  for  advice,  which 
none  felt  competent  to  give. 

'^I  remember  well  my  own  feelings — my  own  exercises  of 
mind — and  pardon  me  for  referring  to  them.  I  looked  first 
toward  poor  distracted  Mexico,  then  hastily  read  the  geography 
and  history  of  Brazil,  then  tliought  of  burying  myself  in  New 
York  or  some  one  of  the  larger  northern  cities.  But  I,  at  last, 
determined  to  take  all  these  conflicting  feelings  and  thoughts 
and  bind  them  in  one  confused  bundle  and  lay  them  at  the  feet 
of  Jesus.  I  earnestly  besought  the  Father  of  Spirits  to  give 
direction.  My  mind  became  settled,  my  purposes  became 
fixed.  I  resolved  to  come  home  and  at  once  set  to  work  to 
gather  up  the  scattered  fragments  and  preach  Christ  in  adver- 
sity as  I  had  preached  Him  in  prosperity — to  the  inhabitants 
of  the  valley  as  I  had  to  those  upon  the  mountain  top."  ^ 

»  See  Minutes  of  1866. 


SOUTHERN  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION  227 

It  was  found  that  many  staunch  supporters  of  the  cause 
had  fallen  in  battle  or  died  in  hospital.  The  Georgia,  Ten- 
nessee and  Missouri  Conferences  were  not  represented.  How- 
ever, the  Convention  preceded  to  business.  They  carefully 
defined  the  Christians'  position  and  explained  their  mode  of 
government,  in  "The  Principles  and  Government  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,"  which  was  published.  That  act  is  considered  to 
have  been  of  strategic  importance.^  Thus  the  Southern  Con- 
vention officially  did  what  other  sections  of  the  denomination 
sedulously  avoided. 

Attention  was  given  to  re-establishing  the  Christian  Sun 
and  replacing  its  printing  plant;  and  an  extraordinary  session 
was  voted  to  meet  a  year  hence.  Recovery  of  churches  and 
the  general  cause  went  forward  immediately  and  steadily  with 
surprising  rapidity.  February,  1867,  the  Sun  rose  again  and 
shone  brightly,  at  Suffolk,  Va.  Rev.  W.  B.  Wellons  assumed 
financial  responsibility,  being  allowed  to  use  its  name,  until 
such  time  as  Convention  might  again  support  and  i)ublish  the 
periodical.  A  committee  on  finance  was  set  to  raise  general 
funds. 

When  the  Convention  of  1870  met  at  Suffolk,  Va.,  only 
three  conferences  were  represented,  two  of  them  then  having 
an  aggregate  membership  of  about  six  thousand  members. 
Five  conferences  were  not  represented.^  Fraternal  delegates 
were  present  from  New  England.  Home  missions  came  prom- 
inently before  this  session,  which  earnestly  discussed  efficiency 
of  churches  and  ministers,  and  extension  of  the  denomination. 

Resolutions  on  "Christian  union"  were  adopted,  in  sub- 
stance as  follows:  Ap})caling  to  all  true  Christians  of  all 
denominations  to  promote  the  "unity  of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond 
of  peace ;"  conceding  "exercise  of  private  judgment  and  liberty 
of  conscience  in  matters  of  religion,"  but  seeing  necessity  of 

1  See  Ap..  p.  r!S5.  See  Principles  and  Government  of  tlie  Piiristian  Cliurph. 
I>ntest  revisprl  e<iition  by  Christian  Board  of  Puiilication.  Elon  College.  N.  C.  190.9. 
=  The  Oeorffi.i,  Alabama  and  Tennessee  conferences  had  not  recovered  from  the 
War's  effects  ;  and  the  Missouri  churches  were  mostly  aflBIiated  with  the  Christian 
Union. 


228  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

"certain"  fundamental  doctrines  as  objects  of  belief  by  all 
seeking  church  membership;  affirming  the  opinion  that  then 
denominations  had  enough  in  common  that  they  might  realize 
"Christian  union  without  abridging  liberty  of  conscience."  ^ 
Erection  of  a  college  was  deemed  impossible  in  1870,  but  estab- 
lishment of  normal  and  theological  schools  was  urged.  Never 
was  higher  education  lost  sight  of.  The  Board  of  Publication 
was  ordered  to  consider  establishing  a  publishing  house  in  some 
city.  A  colored  conference  having  been  organized  in  1867,  in 
North  Carolina,  with  a  dozen  ministers  and  a  score  of  churches, 
the  Convention  pledged  aid  and  encouragement  to  that  and  to 
any  future  colored  conferences. 

Forty-seven  names  of  ministers  appeared  in  the  ministerial 
directory  of  conferences  embraced  in  the  Convention. 

When  next  the  Convention  met,  in  1874,  at  Graham,  N.  C, 
between  eighty  and  ninety  churches  were  embraced  by  the  Con- 
vention, eighteen  Sunday-schools,  fifty-three  elder^?,  and  four 
teen  licentiates.      Measures  adopted  at  previous  sessions  were 
re-affirmed. 

Rev.  W.  B.  Wellons,  publisher  of  the  Christian  Sun  and 
president  of  the  Convention  for  twenty-one  years,  died  in  1877, 
and  his  death  was  a  distinct  loss  to  the  cause.  Rev.  J.  T. 
Whitley  presided  over  the  Convention  of  1878.  A  special 
session  was  ordered  for  1879  to  revise  "The  Principles  and 
Government  of  the  Christian  Church,"  but  no  chanjie  was  made. 
The  South  steadfastly  adhered  to  "The  Principles  and  Govern- 
ment," both  to  clarify  its  theological  position  and  leave  no 
doubt  in  outsiders'  minds  as  to  where  they  stand,  and  southern 
churches  attribute  their  coherence  and  strength  largely  to  this 
published  declaration. 

NEW   ENGLAND   CHRISTIAN   CONVENTION 

Another  sectional  organization  with  stirring  history  and 
more  than  local  influence  is  the  New  England  Christian  Con 

1  See  Minutes  of  1870. 


NEW  ENGLAND  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION       229 

vention,  organized  at  Lynn,  Mass.,  1845/  continuously  in 
existence  since  that  date,  supplemented  by  missionary  and 
educational  societies,  and  part  of  the  time  by  a  Sunday-school 
Association. - 

In  earlier  years  each  auxiliary  society  had  a  separate 
oflRciary.  The  first  constitution  had  three  articles,  one  stating 
the  object  of  organization  to  be:  "To  bring  together,  once  a 
year,  all  the  public  benevolent  institutions  established  among 
the  Christian  churches  in  New  England,  provided  their  mem- 
bers and  officers  are  disposed  here  to  be  represented;  to  trans- 
act other  business,  counsel  together,  devise  plans  to  advance 
the  interests  of  each  benevolent  object,  and  to  establish  such 
others  as  the  good  and  advancement  of  pure  Christianity  may 
call  for."  This  Convention  has  existed  not  only  for  sake  of 
but  through  its  benevolent  societies. 

At  the  time  and  place  mentioned  above,  'The  New  England 
Christian  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society"  was  organ- 
ized.'' Article  II  of  its  constitution  reads  as  follows:  ''The 
sole  object  of  this  Society  is  to  promote  the  glory  of  God  and 
the  salvation  of  men,  by  sending  the  Gospel  to  every  creature; 
and  for  this  end  the  Society  shall  collect  funds,  send  ministers 
to  the  destitute,  and  aid  feeble  churches."  Incorporation  was 
secured  in  1800. 

Annual  meetings  of  this  Convention  and  Missionary  Soci- 
ety were  held  in  Boston,  at  Sea  Street  Christian  Chapel  for 
several  years.  Home  missions  absorbed  attention  and  soon 
the  Missionary  Society's  treasury  had  sufficient  funds  that 
support  of  home  missionaries  was  undertaken.  In  1848  the 
Sunday-school  question  was  uppermost,  and  only  forty  schools 
were  reported  among  New  Enghind  churches.  The  Missionary 
Society  had  twenty  life  members  and  seventy-one  paying  mem- 

•  Ilervey  Sullinss  was  first  President :  and  Joseph  Blackmar  and  E.  Chadwick 
the   first  Secretaries.  'This   Association   was  organized   in   ISa.'S. — See    Min- 

utes   of    lSfi4.        Also    n.   (i.    L..    June    11.    1S57.  »A    short    time   hefore   a 

society  of  similar  name  had  heen  organized  in  New  Hampshire.  1)ut  was  discon- 
tinued in  1S46  in  favor  of  the  larger  organization. 


230  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

bers.      That  year  reports  were  had  from  two  home  missionaries, 
one  in  INIaine,  and  one  in  Michigan. 

The  Convention  went  to  Taunton,  Mass.,  in  1851,  and  to 
Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  in  1853.  At  the  latter  place  forty-five 
ministers  and  eighteen  church  delegates  were  present.  New 
England  then  had  eleven  conferences,  only  four  of  which  par- 
ticipated in  the  Convention.  Those  four  reported  one  thousand 
four  hundred  thirty-seven  Sunday-school  pupils.  This  year 
the  whole  denomination  turned  its  eyes  toward  Yellow  Springs, 
Ohio,  watching  the  Antioch  College  project,  and  New  England 
was  not  behind  in  expression  of  interest.  A  strong  vote  of 
confidence  in  Antioch  passed  Convention.  The  impending 
national  slavery  struggle  was  already  con\Tjlsing  America,  and 
New  England  Christians  voted  a  stinging  resolution  aimed  at 
all  political  measures  likely  to  hinder  complete  emancipation 
of  African  slaves  in  America. 

A  growing  emphasis  on  Sunday-school  instruction  led  to 
another  auxiliary  society,  the  ''New  England  Christian  Sab- 
bath School  Association,-'  organized  during  the  Convention  in 
New  Bedford,  Mass.,  ]May,  1855.  The  churches  of  that  city 
took  kindly  to  the  Sunday-school  idea,  early  had  thriving 
schools,  and  their  success  undoubtedly  spurred  the  Convention 
to  action. 

When  the  Convention  met  at  Newburyport,  Mass.,  in  1857, 
Antioch's  financial  crash  had  taken  place  and  remedial  meas- 
ures were  being  devised  East  and  West.  New  England  was 
raising  twenty -five  thousand  dollars  for  Antioch,  and  to  make 
it  immediately  available  voted  to  borrow  whatever  part  of  that 
sum  might  still  be  lacking.  At  the  same  time  New  England 
was  rejoiced  over  its  own  New  England  Christian  and  Liter- 
ary Institute,  just  organized  at  Andover,  N.  H. 

Further  development  was  exhibited  by  organization  of  the 
"Educational  Society  of  the  Denomination  called  Christians," 
in  1859,  designed  especially'  to  assist  "young  men  in  getting 
an  education   who  have  in  view  the  gospel  ministry."       The 


NEW  ENGLAND  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION       231 

Massachusetts  legislature  granted  articles  of  incorporation  in 
1868,  empowering  tlie  Society  to  hold  property  amounting  to 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  for  pnri)oses  specified.  This 
Society  still  exists,  and  during  all  the  intervening  years  has 
faithfully  administered  its  trust. 

Sessions  of  the  Convention  in  the  early  sixties  were  keenly 
alive  to  national  issues,  and  usually  appointed  a  committee 
on  the  country's  state  or  condition,  to  report  to  Convention, 
In  1801  a  series  of  resolutions  was  adopted,  among  other  things 
recognizing  Abraham  Lincoln  as  a  providential  man,  thanking 
God  for  him  and  General  Grant,  and  the  dawn  of  peace.  A 
year  later  joy  was  expressed  for  peace  and  freedom.  That  year 
also  the  Convention  spoke  in  favor  of  "one  well  conducted  and 
efficient  newspaper,"  for  retaining  the  name  Herald  of  Gospel 
Liberty,  and  for  consolidation  of  the  Central  Christian  Book 
Association,  New  England  Christian  Publishing  Association, 
and  Western  Christian  I'ublishing  Association. 

When  agitation  was  afoot  looking  toward  establishment  of 
a  Biblical  or  theological  school,  the  New  England  brethren, 
in  1861,  voted  themselves  ready  to  co-operate  in  founding  such 
a  school  in  any  suitable  location,  and  appointed  a  committee 
on  location  and  raising  money,  to  confer  with  committees  from 
New  York  conferences  or  from  states  farther  west. 

After  the  loss  of  Antioch  College,  the  New  England  Chris- 
tian Convention  threw  its  support,  financial  and  otherwise,  to 
its  own  Andover  Christian  Institute,  and  to  Union  Christian 
College,  ordering  solicitation  of  funds  for  the  latter  also.  But 
in  1865  the  predominant  thought  was  for  the  prospective 
Christian  Biblical  Institute,  and  it  was  voted  to  raise  thirty 
thousand  dollars  for  tw^o  professorships. 

Likewise  when  the  Convention  met  at  Amesbury,  in  1874, 
the  Christian  Biblical  Institute  was  still  an  object  of  solicitous 
care;  and  that  school,  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  and  a 
''movement  of  the  women  of  New  England  for  impartial  suf- 
frage,"   were    prominent    themes.        Missionary    churches    in 


232  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Amesbury,  Mass.,  Manchester,  N.  H.,  and  South  Providence, 
R.  I.,  were  receiving  financial  aid,  and  tracts,  magazines  and 
newspapers,"      Thns  was  reached  a  maximum  of  v>rganization. 

A  very  modern  idea  appeared  in  Convention  in  1867,  when 
it  was  recommended  that  ministers  should  preach  on  "race 
suicide"  and  enlighten  their  respective  congregations.  At  this 
time,  moreover,  religious  circles  were  greatly  exercised  over  the 
recent  stand  of  Theodore  Tilton,  editor  of  the  New  York  Inde- 
pendent, who  had  cut  loose  from  sectarianism  and  proclaimed 
his  independence.  The  Convention  voted  hearty  approval  of 
his  course,  and  recommended  to  its  constituency  the  Independ- 
ent. 

Since  1854  a  proposed  African  Mission  had  been  hanging 
fire,  with  funds  slowly  accumulating.  At  last,  in  1875,  the 
New  England  Missionary  Society  declared  funds  for  that  mis- 
sion no  part  of  its  funds,  referring  the  same  to  the  Society's 
Executive  Board.  This  practically  ended  that  project.  When 
the  Academy  was  moved  back  to  Andover  from  Wolfeboro, 
Convention  voted  money  for  erection  of  a  boarding  house,  and 
still  fostered  the  Academy. 

This  account  brings  us  down  to  the  time  of  fullest  organ- 
ization and  activity  in  New  England.  New  England  was 
interested  in  almost  every  movement  for  denominational 
advancement,  and  also  in  current  events  and  prevalent  moral 
issues.  Its  voice  was  heard  in  denominational  councils.  Soon 
after  the  War,  although  the  New  England  Convention  had  been 
exceedingly  outspoken  on  slavery  issues  and  the  consequent 
War,  it  sent  fraternal  messengers  to  the  Southern  Convention, 
and  invited  a  reciprocation  by  like  courtesy,  looking  toward 
reunion  of  North  and  South. 

PUBLISFIING  INTERESTS 

Publishing  associations  had  been  narrowed  down  to  three 
— one  for  each  the  East,  West  and  South.  In  a  former  chapter 
elimination  of  papers  was  also  detailed  by  which  the  Herald 


CHRISTIAN  PUBLISHING  ASSOCIATION         233 

of  Gospel  Liberty^  Christian  Palladium  and  Gospel  Herald 
were  ruiiiiin«;;  neck  and  neck  for  some  rar-off  j?oal.  Attention 
has  been  called  also  to  a  generally  expressed  wish  for  a  repre- 
sentative denominational  organ. 

Meantime  the  Palhuliuiii  absorbed  a  Canadian  jonrnal 
called  Christian  Off e ring,  in  185!),  and  in  1800  another  called 
Christian  Messenger,  owned  by  the  Christian  General  Book 
Association;  then  the  PaUudinin  itself  was  sold  to  the  Eastern 
Christian  Publishing  Association  to  be  merged  with  its  paper, 
in  1862,  so  that  the  omniverous  Herald  of  Gospel  lAherty  was 
swallowing  and  assimilating  its  last  hopeless  competitors. 

But  The  Christian  Publishing  Association,  a  western  or- 
ganization, was  whetting  its  appetite.  It  was  already  publish- 
ing the  Gospel  Herald,  and  in  1801  acquired  Browning  &  Buff's 
Christian  Banner,  an  Indiana  paper  published  at  Indianapolis. 
Then  in  1808  The  Christian  Publishing  Association  purchased 
its  eastern  competitor's  papier,  combining  both  Herald  of 
Gospel  Libert}/  and  Gospel  Herald,  and  down  went  the — latter, 
not  the  former,  and  Elias  Smith's  vigorous  journal  continued 
to  live  plumper  and  better  groomed  than  ever.  At  last  one 
general  periodical  was  a  fact,  and  joy  was  generally  expressed. 
The  surviving  Herald  had  its  home  during  this  period  at  New- 
buryport,  Mass.,  and  Dayton,  Ohio. 

CHRISTIAN    PUBLISHING   ASSOCIATION 

The  Christian  Publishing  Association  has  had  an  interest- 
ing history  and  career.  In  1850  it  was  supplying  a  news 
medium  for  all  the  western  country,  including  Wisconsin,  Iowa 
and  Missouri.  Strong  men  were  interested  in  the  Association, 
which  was  a  stock  company,  and  strong  men  were  editors  of 
its  organ,  the  Gospel  Herald,  issued  weekly  instead  of  semi- 
monthly, after  1853.  Prior  to  1805  its  seat  of  business  had 
been  at  New  Carlisle,  Springfield,  Yellow  Springs,  and  Eaton, 
Ohio,  and  that  year  it  was  moved  to  Dayton,  and  canvass  was 
instituted  for  funds  to  provide  a  publishing  establishment. 


234  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

At  a  called  meeting  of  the  Association  held  November, 
1866,  at  Covington,  Ohio,  the  name  "Christian  Publishing  Asso- 
ciation" was  assumed,  as  an  appropriate  expression  of  the 
denominational  scope  of  the  organization's  work.  A  year 
later  the  Association  sent  an  agent  East  to  consult  about  pur- 
chasing the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liherty,  which  purchase  was 
effected,  and  that  paper  published  from  Dayton,  January  4, 
1868,  and  since. 

That  year  a  canvass  for  funds  and  conditions  of  the  busi- 
ness made  it  possible  to  purchase  property  for  a  publishing 
house  on  the  southeast  corner  of  Main  and  Sixth  Streets,  in 
Dayton,  eleven  thousand  five  hundred  dollars  being  paid  there- 
for. Machinery  and  materials  were  gradually  installed,  and 
the  house  occupied  late  in  1872.  Considerable  indebtedness 
was  contracted  in  fitting  up  the  establishment,  and  caused 
embarrassment  for  a  number  of  years.  Provision  had  been 
made  for  printing  all  publications  of  tlie  house,  and  also  for  a 
general  job  printing  patronage. 

This  Association  held  its  stated  business  meetings  once  in 
three  years  for  some  time,  then  once  in  two  years,  and  finally, 
when  the  American  Christian  Convention  met  in  New  Bedford, 
Mass.,  in  1880,  The  Christian  Publishing  Association  met  there 
and  amended  its  constitution  so  that  membership  of  both 
bodies  was  identical,  and  all  denominational  publishing  inter- 
ests became  actually  a  department  of  the  Convention,  as  had 
been  planned  twenty  years  before  at  Marshall,  Mich.  In  1878, 
therefore,  the  Christians  had,  by  a  process  of  elimination  and 
combination,  a  periodical  which  was  both  official  and  denomi- 
national, a  publishing  establishment  which  was  issuing  the 
official  organ,  Sunday-school  publications,  and  a  few  others  for 
denominational  consumption.^ 

^  The  Christian  Publication  Society  was  organized  at  Irvinston.  N.  J.,  in 
October.  1S56.  holding  an  annual  meeting  at  South  Westerlo,  N.  Y.,  the  next  vear. 
The  Society  did  not  live  long. — Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  XXVI,  p.  125. 


MANY  JOURNALISTIC  VENTURES  235 

SOUTHERN    PUBLISHING   INTERESTS 

Meantime  the  Southern  Christian  Association  had  pub- 
lished the  Christian  t^iiri  continually,  except  during  an  interval 
from  1802  to  180(5,  when  war  stopped  its  issue.  That  Asso- 
ciation changed  its  name  to  "Southern  Christian  Convention" 
in  1858.  When  the  Christian  ^iin  was  revived  after  the  War 
and  published  by  W.  B.  Wellons,  its  name  was  still  the 
Convention's  property,  and  that  body  directed  the  publication 
more  or  less.  After  Dr.  Wellons'  death,  his  successor,  as 
Convention  president,  also  became  publisher  of  the  southern 
organ. 

MANY    JOURNALISTIC    VENTURES 

This  historical  period  was  prolific  in  journalistic  ventures, 
especially  in  attempts  to  establish  magazines;  for  it  was  felt 
that  such  were  needed  as  mediums  for  discussion  of  themes 
that  had  no  place  in  a  religious  newspaper.  And  we  must 
record  also  several  attempts  to  establish  journals  representa- 
tive of  limited  sections  of  the  large  brotherhood. 

In  Canada  the  Christian  Offering  was  begun  by  Rev.  J.  R. 
Hoag.  in  1853,  jiublislied  at  Oshawa,  and  edited  by  ^Mrs.  P.  A. 
Henry,  and  continued  until  its  absorption  by  the  Christian 
Palladium  in  1850.  It  was  designed  to  be  the  organ  of  the 
churches  in  Ontario  Province.  Six  years  after  this  Rev. 
Thomas  Garbutt  attemi)ted  to  establish  The  Christian  Maga- 
zine, a  monthly  journal,  issued  at  Eddystone,  Ont.,  in  magazine 
form,  thirty-six  pages,  six  by  nine  inches.  But  the  publisher 
received  insufficient  patronage,  and  was  compelled  to  suspend 
his  publication  after  a  few  years. 

After  the  sale  and  consolidation  of  the  New  England  paper 
with  the  western  organ,  the  East  still  felt  need  of  a  paper  there. 
In  1809  a  i»am]»hlet  (»f  thirty-six  jiages  was  issued  monthly  with 
the  old  name  The  Christian  Herahh  and  was  changed  to  a 
weekly  publication  in  1870,  acquired  by  tlie  Eastern  Christian 
Publishing  Association,  located  at  Newburyport,   Mass.,  and 


236  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

edited  by  Rev.  D.  P.  Pike,  a  veteran  editor,  theologian,  writer 
and  publisher.  It  was  a  quarto  sheet,  a  religious  newspaper 
to  "meet  local  demands."  After  a  few  years  it  ceased,  the  bur- 
den of  its  publication  being  too  great.^ 

MAGAZINES 

Turning  to  distinctly  magazine  work,  we  find  several 
worthy  ventures.  Repeatedly  demand  was  heard  for  religious 
and  theological  magazines  of  general  scope.  Rev.  D.  P.  Pike 
issued  twelve  monthly  numbers  of  Christian  Theology,  at  New- 
buryport,  Mass.  It  was  a  magazine  of  sixteen  pages,  four 
and  a  half  by  seven  inches,  printed  by  Morse,  Brewster  and 
Huse,  1855.  Rev.  A.  G.  Comings  published  at  Boston,  Mass., 
a  few  issues  of  Jesus  in  His  Offices,  a  quarterly  of  limited 
range.  A  very  promising  forty-page  monthly  was  issued  at 
Cincinnati,  1869  and  1870,  by  Rev.  X.  Summerbell,  called 
The  Christian  Pulpit,  edited  by  himself  and  his  son  Rev.  J.  J. 
Summerbell.  This  was  called  the  best  religious  monthly 
in  America,  and  visited  fifteen  hundred  subscribers  in  its  sec- 
ond year.  The  Christian  Publishing  Association,  after  repeat- 
ed solicitation,  secured  the  magazine,^  placed  it  under  the  joint 
editorship  of  Rev.  T.  C.  Smith  and  Rev.  S.  S.  Newhouse,  and 
published  a  volume  or  two.  Then  it  was  discontinued.  Rev. 
R.  J.  Wright,  another  scholarly  man,  essayed  to  print  Tlic 
Friendly  Christian,  "suitable  for  the  pocket,'-  with  seventy-two 
pages,  at  Tacony,  Pa.,  1872.^ 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL  PERIODICALS 

In  still  a  different  field  an  exceedingly  important  publica- 
tion was  begun.  Reference  has  hitherto  been  made  to  Sunday- 
school  papers.  Papers  published  in  Haverhill  and  Boston, 
Mass.,  and  by  the  United  Brethren  in  Dayton,  had  been  patron- 
ized by  schools  of  the  Christian  denomination ;  but  in  1865  the 
Western  Christian  Book  Association  began  the  ^Sunday  School 

1  See   Ap.,    p.    385.  -  Christian    rulpit,    Jiinnary,    1873.  '  See    Ap.. 

p.  386. 


EDUCATIONAL  MAGAZINE  237 

Herald,  which  has  continued  ever  since,  deservedly  popular, 
excellently  edited  and  printed,  a  medium  for  boys  and  girls 
themselves.  Originally  this  paper  was  a  folio,  ten  and  one-half 
by  fourteen  inches,  issued  twice  a  month,  illustrated,  and  edited 
bv  Rev.  H.  Y.  Rush.  In  18G5  also  the  Association  issued 
-Early  Lessons  About  the  Saviour,"  for  pupils  under  twelve 
years  of  age,  and  in  1866  supplied  a  little  manual  of  sixty-six 
pages,  called  'Trimary  Sunday  School  Question  Book."  These 
were  forerunners  of  more  popular  and  later  lesson  leaflets  and 
quarterlies. 

EDUCATIONAL  MAGAZINE 

An  educational  monthly  ^  was  begun  in  1876  at  Merom, 
Ind.,  of  which  Mrs.  Drue  Purviance  Watson  was  editor,  T.  C. 
Smith,  B.  F.  McHenry  and  J.  J.  Summerbell  were  associate 
editors,  and  L.  F.  Watson  publisher.  Issued  during  the  col- 
lege year,  it  was  meant  to  represent  all  educational  institutions 
of  the  Christians,  each  of  which  had  a  department.  But  its 
scope  embraced  also  regular  educational  journalism.  It  was 
illustrated,  mechanically  excellent  in  appearance,  and  well 
edited ;  but  did  not  live  beyond  two  or  three  years.  - 

Readers  should  note  how  the  awakened  denominational 
consciousness  sought  expression;  how  it  patterned  in  part 
after  other  denominations'  enterprises ;  and  in  part  struck  out 
new  paths;  how  leaders  in  the  Christian  denomination  were 
thoroughly  alive  to  and  fully  abreast  of  thought  and  methods 
and  agencies  then  prevalent;  how  they  were  bidding  for  life, 
success  and  recognition,  with  as  fair  prospects  as  other  denom- 
inations enjoyed.  With  more  coherence  and  co-operation  in 
those  days,  the  Christians  might  have  forged  ahead  and 
assumed  a  commanding  position  in  American  church  life.  And 
finally,  it  will  be  obvious  to  readers  that  the  full  awakening  of 
denominational  consciousness  dates  from  the  quadrennial  ses- 
sion of  1850. 

1  Called  "Our  Work."  =  See  Ap.,  p.  386. 


238  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

GROWTH  AND  EXPANSION 

From  1850  to  1878  growth  was  both  intensive  and  extensive. 
Territory  already  occupied  was  more  thoroughly  cultivated, 
new  conferences  being  organized  within  territory  previously 
traversed  by  missionary  and  evangelist.  And  yet  one  can 
observe  the  denominational  borders  being  pushed  farther  out- 
ward— eastward,  northward,  westward.  Readjustment  of 
conference  boundaries  gave  rise  to  new  organizations  in  a  few 
cases.  All  this  growth  may  be  best  imagined  by  following 
conference  organizations,  as  follows :  In  northwestern  Ohio 
and  southeastern  Michigan ;  central  Indiana,  the  old  Central 
and  Union  conferences  uniting;  Southern  New  York;  Indiana 
Miami  Reserve ;  Little  Wild  Cat  country  in  Indiana ;  Western 
Indiana,  embracing  old  Cole  Creek ;  Central  Illinois ;  Aroostook 
branch  of  Maine  Eastern;  Pasgamaquoddy  in  Maine;  Western 
Iowa,  name  later  changed  to  Fort  Des  Moines  Conference; 
Killbuck,  in  Indiana ;  Michigan  State  Conference ;  Michigan 
Association,  embracing  four  conferences;  Georgia  and  Ala- 
bama ;  Antioch,  in  Indiana ;  Fox  River,  covering  contiguous 
territory  in  Indiana  and  Illinois;  Western  Illinois  united  with 
Spoon  River,  in  1864 ;  Northern  Iowa ;  Union,  in  Iowa ;  Otsego, 
in  New  York;  Antioch,  in  Indiana,  consolidated  with  Bluffton 
in  1805,  later  becoming  Eastern  Indiana ;  Rock  Creek,  Iowa, 
later  Central  Iowa;  Grand  River  Valley  in  Michigan;  Schoharie 
County,  New  York;  Maumee  Valley  in  northwestern  Ohio, 
later  combined  with  Auglaize,  forming  Northwestern  Ohio; 
Southwestern  Iowa ;  Union  Christian,  in  Indiana ;  Southern 
Indiana  and  Illinois ;  Western  North  Carolina ;  Deep  River 
country  of  North  Carolina  and  Virginia,  finally  Western  North 
Carolina  Conference;  New  York  State  Christian  Association; 
Ohio  State  Christian  Association;  Richland  Union,  in  Wiscon- 
sin; Mazon  River,  in  Illinois;  Jacksonville,  Illinois;  North- 
eastern Iowa ;  Osage,  in  western  Missouri ;  North  Missouri ; 
Western  Pennsylvania;  Northeastern  Kansas;  Kentucky,  First 


GROWTH  AND  EXPANSION  239 

District;  Kentucky,  Second  District,  both  readjustments  of 
former  organizations ;  Iowa  State  Conference ;  Northeastern 
Michigan;  Grant  County,  Indiana;  Northeastern  Missouri; 
Monongahela  Valley,  Pennsylvania;  Michigan  Conference, 
incori)orated  to  take  the  ])la(e  of  the  State  Conference  and 
Michigan  Christian  Missionary  and  Aid  Society;  Nebraska; 
Eastern  Kansas,  first  called  Southeastern;  Indiana  State 
Conference;  Southern  Kansas.  This  is  a  rather  astonishing 
array  of  names,  and  indicates  that  the  Christians  were  doing 
something.  Many  of  these  names  and  organizations  have  long 
since  been  forgotten.  The  above  list  has  been  arranged  chron- 
ologically, so  far  as  confusion  of  dates  will  admit,  that  plan 
giving  the  better  idea  of  where  growth  occurred  and  progress 
tended.  "The  Christian  Almanac"  for  1876  reported  eighty-one 
conference  organizations.^  The  next  year  names  of  twelve 
hundred  and  sixty  ministers  were  printed  in  the  Almanac,  not 
including  three  hundred  and  eight  licentiates,-  or  about  fifty- 
three  ministers  and  fourteen  licentiates  in  the  Southern  Chris- 
tian Convention.  This  gives  a  surprising  total  of  over  sixteen 
hundred  preachers  and  ordained  ministers. 

The  number  of  churches  was  estimated  at  nearly  fifteen 
hundred.  Estimates  of  men  then  conversant  with  denomi- 
national affairs  allowed  an  average  of  one  hundred  members  to 
a  church — probably  an  impossible  figure,  as  scores  of  churches 
were  small  and  soon  fell  to  pieces.  A  total  membership  of 
sixty-seven  thousand  was  the  estimate  given  in  1874.^ 

The  two  facts  which  speak  best  of  denominational  activity 
were  the  surprising  multiplication  of  ministers  and  the  con- 
tinued wide-spread  organization  and  reorganization  of  con- 
ferences. The  more  one  ponders  these  facts  and  studies  them, 
the  more  they  will  reveal  to  him. 

>  See  Ap..  p.  3S6.  '  See  Ap..  p.  38G.  '  Article  of  A.  H.  Morrill,  in 

H.  G.  L„  June  6,  1874. 


240  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  X 

Minutes  of  the  American  Christian  Convention,  1850-1878. 
Minutes  of  the  New  England  Christian  Convention,  1850-1878. 
Minutes  of  the  Southern  Christian  Convention,  1866-1878. 
Annual  of  the  Christian  Church  (South),  1872-1878. 
Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  Vols.  LVIII-LXX. 
Christian  Palladium,  Vols.  XIX-XXX. 
Gospel  Herald,  Vols.  VII-XXV. 
Christian  Almanac,  1872-1878. 
Christian  Annual,  1897-1902. 

History  of  the  Christian  Church,  by  N.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 
Lives  of  Christian  Ministei's,  by  P.  J.  Kernodle,  M.  A. 
Not  all  the  volumes  in  the  files  referred  to  have  been  accessible  in 
preparation  of  this  work,  but  most  of  them  have. 


CHAPTER  XI 


CHAPTER  XI 

Early  Missionary  Efforts 

1825-1877 

SIXTEEN  years  after  the  Christian  Church  in  Virginia  was 
organized,  and  two  years  after  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Lib- 
erty had  been  founded  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  was  formed 
the  first  missionary  board  in  America.  Elias  Smith  was  thor- 
oughly awake  to  missions,  a  theme  tlien  much  talked  of  in 
New  England  where  the  American  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions  had  been  organized,  and  where  the  Massa- 
chusetts legislature  had  almost  balked  at  gi'anting  that  organ- 
ization a  charter.  The  Herald  of  Gospel  Libert i/  was  always 
replete  with  fresh  missionary  news;  and  years  later,  when 
other  denominational  periodicals  were  thriving,  they  too  served 
their  patrons  with  fresh  and  stirring  missionary  items  and 
articles.  A  careful  search  of  old  denominational  literature 
will  leave  one  quite  surprised  that  so  much  space  was  devoted 
to  missionary  enterprises. 

There  was  also  abundant  missionary  sentiment,  with  not 
a  little  genuine  zeal  abroad  throughout  the  brotherhood.  As 
evidence  we  find  many  pertinent  references  in  communications 
printed  in  each  periodical  and  magazine.  In  general  and 
local  conferences  missionary  work  was  frequentlv  discussed, 
although  in  narrower  phases.  But  most  important  of  all,  the 
Christians  reckoned  their  cause  missionary  in  its  character, 
because  it  was  carried  chiefly  among  people  not  otherwise 
evangelized,  many  of  them  in  newer,  remote  or  sparsely  settled 
states  and  territories  and  sections  of  them.  Vermont  was 
newly  settled  and  crude  when  the  Christians  began  to  multiply 
there  and  to  travel  among  new  settlements  springing  up  amid 
virgin  forests.      The  same  was  true  in  Maine,  Canada,  western 


244  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

New  York,  Ohio,  Kentuck}',  Indiana  Territory,  Michigan, 
Wisconsin,  and  the  country  farther  west  and  south.  Elias 
Smith  stipulated,  at  his  ordination,  that  he  should  be  an  itin- 
erant evangelist,  and  others  had  the  same  understanding. 
Mark  Fernald,  Joseph  Boody,  Levi  Hathaway,  John  Rand, 
Frederick  Plummer  were  tireless  in  their  missionar}'  journeys, 
making  incursions  into  Maine,  Canada,  the  West  and  South, 
preaching  dail}'  if  possible.  In  the  south  were  men  of  like 
stamp  and  energy  who  journeyed  northward  into  Pennsylvania, 
southward  into  South  Carolina  and  Georgia,  and  westward  into 
Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  Alabama.  Such  men  were  James 
O'Kelly,  Rice  Haggard,  William  Guirey,^  William  Lanphier, 
Mills  Barrett,  and  John  Gray.  In  fact,  most  of  the  early 
southern  men  traveled  circuits  like  Methodist  itinerants.  B. 
W.  Stone  began  his  career  as  a  circuit-rider.  After  the  Ken- 
tucky revival  he  and  David  Purviance  journeyed  and  preached 
much  in  the  southern  parts  of  Ohio  and  Indiana  Territory, 
Stone  extending  his  tours  as  far  west  as  Missouri.  Joseph 
Thomas,  the  famous  "White  Pilgrim,"  records  in  his  journal 
almost  incredible  distances  traveled  on  foot,  on  horseback  or 
by  carriage.  Abraham  Snethen,  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  con- 
stantly proceeded  from  place  to  place  preaching,  and  he 
received  home  mission  support  ])art  of  the  time.  His  auto- 
biography is  romantic  with  travel  accounts.  The  record  of 
Isaac  N.  Walter's  missionary  travels  is  quite  remarkable. 
''On  the  27th  of  January,  1855,  he  numbered  his  fiftieth  year, 
thirty  of  which  he  had  been  an  active,  efficient  minister,  having 
traveled  a  sufficient  number  of  miles  to  girdle  the  earth  a  little 
over  six  times;  he  had  crossed  the  Alle'ihany  ^lountains  fifty 
times;  preached  eight  thousanrl  two  huiidred  and  forty-three 
sermons;  attended  one  tliousand  eiaht  hnudred  nnd  twenty-nine 
funerals;  baptized  three  thousand  three  hundred  and  ninety- 
two  converts ;  received  eight  thousand  nine  hundred  and 
seventy-one  into  church  membership ;  prayed  with  one  thousand 

1  Ouirey  had  been  a  missionary  in  tlie  West  Indies. 


EARLY   MISSIONARY  EFFORTS  245 

nine  liundred  and  seven  sick  persons;  and  married  one  thou- 
sand and  fiftv-two  couples."  ^  Scores  of  other  names  could  be 
added  to  this  list.  An  "ai)ostolic  ministry"  was  a  common 
ideal  of  those  preachers,  and  hence  their  free  services,  arduous 
journeys,  necessities,  privations  and  persecutions.  Missionary 
sentiment  was  no  dream  among  the  Christians,  a  proposition 
to  be  demonstrated  in  the  following  account. 

During  most  of  the  eighty  years  covered  by  our  history 
thus  far  there  was  missionary  agitation  in  pulpit  and  press 
Some  editors  wrote  in  favor  of  and  urged  home  missionary 
work,  and  many  a  contributed  article  rang  in  the  changes  con- 
cerning the  needs.  I'reviously,  and  when  he  was  agent  for  the 
New  England  Missionary  Society,  Elijah  Shaw  conducted  a 
veritable  missionary  campaign.-  No  man  has  more  persist- 
ently or  persuasively  urged  his  brethren  to  the  task.  And 
Shaw  repeatedly  outlined  his  systematic  plan,^  which  embodied 
features  now  familiar  in  most  denominational  missionary 
organizations.  Scores  of  destitute  sections  in  various  states; 
the  impecunious  condition  of  traveling  preachers ;  the  fact  that 
the  itinerancy  was  playing  out  because  ministers  had  to  locate 
in  order  to  secure  a  living;  the  hard  lot  of  ministers'  widows 
and  orphans, — these  and  other  reasons  helped  forward  the 
creation  of  sentiment.  For  example,  an  eastern  minister  went 
to  Michigan  Territory  to  labor,  and,  touched  with  the  destitu- 
tion of  tireless  preachers  already  on  the  field,  he  wrote  for 
publication  appeals  for  aid  for  his  needy  brethren.  In  that 
Territory  men  were  traveling  circuits  and  preaching,  often 
under  exceedingly  trying  and  health-destroying  circumstances.* 
Again,  a  minister  who  had  labored  in  Michigan  and  removed 
to  Cave  County,  111.,  after  harrowing  experiences  and  knowledge 
of  the  religious  destitution  in  that  section,  issued  a  peculiarly 
touching  appeal.       People  in  older  sections  could  no  longer 

'  Memoir    of    Elder    Isaac    N.    Walter,    p.    SS7.  -  Shaw,    p.    153    et    al. 

•Ibid.,  pp.  206,  211.  ••Chris.  Tall.,  Vol.  XIII.  p.  10.3. 


246  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

resist,  and  within  a  few  years  missionary  societies  sprang  up 
in  response.^ 

It  is  easy  to  discount  the  results  and  value  of  those  early 
home  missionary  efforts.  They  have  often  been  lost  sight  of. 
Since  the  agencies  have  mostly  disappeared,  we  might  conclude 
that  their  works  have  disappeared  also.  That  is  not  true, 
except  in  minor  part:  for  scores  of  churches  still  existing  and 
thriving,  and  numbers  of  conferences,  scattered  well  over  the 
eastern  United  States,  are  traceable  directly  to  missionaries 
and  societies  of  the  fathers'  days.  They  have  a  splendid  mis- 
sionary history  yet  to  be  written,  thrilling  in  interest,  inti- 
mately woven  into  the  nation's  development.  It  was  a  little 
past  the  middle  of  the  Nineteenth  Century  before  any  serious 
attempt  at  foreign  missions  was  made,  and  that  word  "foreign" 
awakened  opposition  then  as  now.  Finally,  no  effective  gen 
eral  missionary  agency  was  created  until  1878.  Remember 
that  many  years  passed  before  the  Christians  pretended  to 
organize  like  other  denominations,  and  then  ensued  a  period 
when  energy  was  largely  absorbed  with  church  building  and 
controversy  over  sectarian,  theological,  and  metaphysical  sub- 
jects. Combatting  error  was  deemed  almost  paramount  to 
declaring  the  truth.  An  enormous  amount  of  talent  and  time 
was  expended  in  the  religious  warfare  of  those  days,  and  the 
Christians  spent  their  full  share.  Then,  too,  there  was  no 
central  missionary  organization. 

EARLY  ORGANIZED  AGENCIES 

Some  mention  should  here  be  made  of  early  missionary 
organizations.  -  The  United  States  General  Christian  Confer- 
ence, in  1825,  recommended  that  all  conferences  create  sustenta- 
tion  funds  to  support  traveling  evangelists;  and  about  this 
time  conference  missionary  societies  began  to  be  organized. 
Some  of  their  constitutions  and  lists  of  subscribers  are  still 

1  Chris.    Pall.,    Vol.    IX,    p.    182;    Vol.    XIII,    pp.    156,    175,    230,    231    and 
many  other  references.  ^  See  Ap.,  p.  388. 


EARLY  ORGANIZED  AGENCIES  24? 

extant.      They  seem  like  tiny  rills,  as  compared  with  present- 
day  missionary  streams. 

The  earliest  societies  seem  to  have  contemplated  state-wide 
constituency  and  activity.  The  ^'Christian  Register  and 
Almanac"  for  1842  gives  the  names  of  the  oldest  organizations, 
and  some  facts  concerning  them.  For  example,  the  Massachu 
setts  Christian  Benevolent  Society  dated  from  1833,^  and  under- 
took to  sustain  an  itinerant  ministry  for  Massachusetts  and 
the  borders  of  Rhode  Island.-  At  its  organization  a  form  of 
constitution  for  auxiliary  local  church  societies  was  drafted 
and  recommended.  In  1834  preliminaries  for  a  New  Hamp- 
shire (Christian  Benevolent  Society  were  attended  to  during  a 
fall  session  of  the  Rockingham  Conference;  and  about  a  year 
later  the  Society  was  organized  and  incorporated  and  still 
exists,  intended  to  aid  superannuates,  widows  and  orphans,  as 
well  as  active  itinerants.^ 

But  the  societies  were  chiefly  conferential  in  membership, 
with  unrestricted  field  for  operations.  Dating  from  1838  was 
the  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  Christian  Benevolent 
Society.  Within  a  few  years  similar  societies  were  reported 
in  Maine,  in  all  New  York  conferences,  in  Pennsylvania,  Mich- 
igan, Ohio,  Wisconsin,  Indiana,  Illinois,  North  Carolina  and 
Vermont;  but  they  all  worked  in  America.  Glowing  reports 
of  western  missions  were  frequently  published,  and  stimulated 
contributors  to  renewed  efforts. 

In  1845  it  had  been  suggested  that  there  should  be  a 
general  mission  board,  state  societies,  conference  societies,  and 
local  church  auxiliaries.*  However,  a  general  board  did  not 
become  a  reality  until  years  later,  but  an  attempt  was  made  in 
some  directions  to  work  to  the  ideal.  Conference  societies  (or 
conferences  themselves)  have  more  or  less  steadily  supported 
missionary  work  within  their  bounds  until  the  present;  but 
when  a  general  mission  board  began  work,  extra -conferential 
missions  were  gradually  abandoned. 

1  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  116.  =  chris.  Her.,  Vol.  XV.  p.  195.  •  Fer- 

nald,  pp.  257,  268.       Shaw,  p.  149.  *  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  XIV,  p.  120. 


248  THE  CHKISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Contemporaneously  with  the  growth  just  explained  came 
at  least  two  sectional  organizations  embracing  membership 
from  several  states.  A  new  England  Missionar}'  Society  was 
formed  in  1840/  and  the  plan  included  conference  and  church 
auxiliaries.  For  some  reason  this  Society  was  not  satisfac- 
tory; and  as  appeals  from  the  West  continued,  finally  a  call 
was  issued  for  a  general  missionary  meeting  at  Fall  River, 
Mass.,  the  direct  outcome  of  which  was  tlie  Massachusetts  and 
Rhode  Island  Domestic  Missionary  Society,  and  indirectly  two 
other  important  bodies.-  The  mass  meeting  recommended  a 
New  England  Conference  and  a  New  England  Missionary 
Society  connected  therewith.  Later  in  the  year  1845  the  New 
England  Christian  Convention  and  New  England  Home  and 
Foreign  Missionary  Society  were  formed  in  Lynn,  Mass.^  They 
are  incorporated  bodies  still  in  existence,  and  the  Missionary 
Society  has  conducted  much  home  missionary  work.  It  dis- 
placed a  similar  New  Hampshire  society  organized  a  few 
months  before.  For  several  years  annual  meetings  were  held 
with  the  Boston  church.  But  latterly  they  have  been  held 
simultaneously  with  the  New  England  Christian  Convention. 
Some  prominent  churches  of  the  denomination  in  New  England 
owe  their  existence  to  help  rendered  by  this  organization,  wiiich 
has  put  funds  not  only  into  each  New^  England  state,  but  into 
several  western  ones  also. 

Another  sectional  society  was  the  Southern  Home  Mission- 
ary Society,  planned  at  the  Convention  of  1858,  held  at  Cypress 
Chapel.*  The  Southern  Christian  Convention  had  been  organ- 
ized in  1856,  superseding  the  Southern  Christian  Association, 
and  this  Home  Missionary  Society  was  the  first  connected  with 
the  newly  organized  Convention.  That  Society's  records  are 
meager,  and  give  little  idea  what  enterprises  were  undertaken. 
Its  scope  was,  generally  speaking,  all  territory  embraced  by  the 
Convention,  with  strong  men  of  the  body,  like  Mills  Barrett, 

1  Shaw,  p.  215.  =  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  XIV,  pp.  55,  91,  92.  »  Fernald, 

pp.  354.  358,  366,  370.  *  Kernodle,  pp.  89,  244. 


EARLY  ORGANIZED  AGENCIES  249 

Stephen  S.  Barrett,  Alfred  Iseley,  Mills  B.  Barrett,  and  others, 
connected  with  it. 

A  third  society,  with  a  western  membership,  was  the  Ohio 
Missionary  Society,  organized  in  1844,  but  doing  work  beyond 
its  own  boundaries.  In  1840  three  regular  home  missionary 
societies,  the  New  lOiigland,  New  York  Eastern,  and  Ohio,  were 
said  to  be  doing  vigorous  work,  and  sustained  partly  or  in 
whole  eleven  missionaries  in  the  field.' 

It  must  have  been  during  this  {)eriod  of  missionary  awak- 
ening that  the  first  woman's  conference  missionary  society  was 
organized.  Some  time  prior  to  1857  the  Ladies'  Auxiliary 
Home  Missionary  Society  of  the  New  York  AYestern  Christian 
Conference  came  into  existence.  In  the  year  mentioned  it 
was  holding  stated  meetings  and  raising  helpful  sums  of 
money.-  Women's  societies  are  also  mentioned  in  correspond- 
ence of  the  time  from  Michigan.^ 

Some  attempt  was  made  to  carry  out  plans  for  auxiliary 
societies  in  individual  churches.  A  Home  Missionary  Society 
wai5  organized  in  East  Kensington,  New  Hampshire,  in  1840, 
which  was  said  to  be  fourth  of  its  kind  in  that  year.*  Five 
years  later  the  church  at  Summer  and  Sea  Streets  in  Boston 
organized  a  society  with  a  membership  of  fifty.  Proceed- 
ings of  their  meetings  for  several  years  are  extant,  from 
which  it  appears  that  the  membership  raised  three  hundred 
fifty  dollars  and  fifty  cents  a  year  for  missionary  work.  Fer- 
nald  says  they  raised  three  hundred  sixty-six  dollars  in  ten 
months.' 

A  pioneer  attempt  at  definite  missionary  work  in  Sunday- 
school  was  the  Sabbath  School  Missionary  Society  in  Suffolk 
Street  church.  New  York  City,  which  was  born  early  in  the  year 
1844,  and  soon  had  enrolled  almost  one  hundred  members.  A 
constitution  was  framed,  in  which  dues  were  placed  at  one  cent 
a  week  per  member.      Money  gathered  was  preferably  spent  in 

1  Gos     Her .    Vol.    IV.    p.    163.  » ohris.    Pall.,    Vol.     XXVI,    p.    235. 

»  Cent.  Book,  p.  HOft.  *  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  IX,  p.   249.  ^  Ibid.,   Vol.  XIV, 

pp.  148,  149.       Fernald,  p.  3.">8.       Shaw,  p.  242. 


250  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

furnishing  Sunday-school  libraries  to  new  and  prospective 
schools  in  the  west.^ 

Portsmouth,  New  Hampshire,  Sunday-school  also  had  a 
missionary  societj-;  and  the  Portsmouth  church  had  the  first 
Juvenile  Missionary  Society  in  the  denomination,  so  far  as  is 
known. 

We  can  trace,  therefore,  early  organizations,  district,  state, 
conference,  woman's  auxiliary,  local,  Sunday-school  and  juve- 
nile. This  indicates  an  attempt  to  follow  the  proposed  system. 
But  effort  and  ideal  centered  about  home  fields,  largely  in  the 
growing  West.  Methods  were  much  like  those  of  to-day. 
Each  more  inclusive  society  employed  an  agent  to  visit  churches 
and  fields  within  its  bounds  to  strengthen  the  cause  and  gather 
funds.  Elijah  Shaw,  mentioned  before  as  a  tireless  agitator, 
did  heroic  service  as  field  secretary  in  New  England,-  and 
perhaps  gained  rather  more  notoriety  than  others  in  similar 
positions. 

Readers  conversant  with  early  records  of  the  Christian 
General  Book  Association  know  that  its  purpose  was  distinctly 
evangelical  and  missionary.  Part  of  the  profits  arising  from 
the  business  were  for  several  years  devoted  to  support  of  home 
missionary  pastors  and  evangelists  in  Ohio,  Michigan,  Wiscon- 
sin, Indiana  and  Illinois.^  Half  a  dozen  conferences  had  so 
profited  in  the  year  1850,  when  ten  missionaries  were  the  Book 
Association's  evangelistic  agents. 

MISSIONS    IN    THE    AMERICAN    CHRISTIAN    CONVENTION 

But  in  spite  of  all  activity  mentioned,  a  feeling  of  incom- 
pleteness was  experienced.  There  was  no  coherence  among 
societies,  and  a  central  or  "general  body"  which  some  had  plead 
for  was  still  lacking.  Efforts  at  church  extension  were,  there- 
fore, partly  desultory,  and  interest  dependent  on  local  pastors 
or  other  parties,  or  local  conditions  coupled  with  appeals  from 

1  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  XIII,  p.  197.  =  STiaw.  p.  251  et  al.       Fernald,  p.  .358. 

Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  XXVI,  p.  255.  '  Ibid.,  Vol.  XIX,  p.  401. 


EARLY  ORGANIZED  AGENCIES  251 

the  needy.  This  leads  us  to  another  and  interesting  chapter, 
namely,  missions  in  the  American  Christian  Convention.  \Mien 
the  denomination  found  itself,  at  Marion,  New  York,  the  need 
of  a  general  missionary  head  or  secretary  and  board  was  fully 
recognized.  However,  a  committee  to  whom  that  matter  was 
referred  advised  postponement  of  missionary  organization  in 
view  of  the  Antioch  College  project,  and  need  of  all  available 
money  for  that  purpose.  The  quadrennial  at  Cincinnati  in 
1854  proceeded  to  elect  a  Board  of  Home  and  Foreign  Mis- 
sions,^ w^hich  actually  organized  sixteen  months  later.  A 
constitution  was  adopted  and  published.  Still  almost  nothing 
further  was  done.  Two  more  quadrenniums  passed  without 
effective  missionary  organization.  At  the  quadrennial  of  1866 
at  Marshall,  Michigan,  five  departments  were  created,  each 
with  a  secretary,  to  look  after  general  denominational  inter- 
ests, one  being  the  Missionary  Department.  Rev.  D.  E. 
Millard,  of  Michigan,  was  chosen  Secretary  of  the  Missionary 
Department,  a  position  held  by  hira  until  1878.  Gradually 
the  board  idea  was  lost  sight  of  again.  The  special  convention 
of  1872  adopted  a  plan  for  church  extension,  creating  the 
American  Christian  Church  Extension  Society,  with  constitu- 
tion and  officers.'  A  president,  corresponding  secretary, 
treasurer  and  executive  board  were  to  administer  that  Society, 
and  memberships  were  provided  for  conferences,  churches. 
Sabbath  schools  and  individuals.^  The  first  Sunday  in  Jan- 
uary, 1873,  all  churches  were  asked  to  contribute  toward  a 
church  extension  fund.  Considerable  was  done  by  Dr.  Watson, 
and  later  reported.  For  fourteen  months  prior  to  September 
1,  1873,  the  Extension  Society  had  received  $3,135.38  for  home 
mission  purposes.  Members  resided  in  twelve  states,  and' 
twelve  missionaries  had  been  in  the  field.  Again  report  was 
made  in  1878,  showing  thirty-six  conference  memberships  and 
sixty-seven   church   memberships.       In    five  years   the   funds 

1  H.  G.   L..  March  27.   18.^6.  ^  See   Report  of  that  Convention,   pp.  6-8. 

'  Revs.  i.  H.  Coe,  J.  P.  Watson,  Plowden   Stevens,  were  respective  officers,  and 
Revs.  T.  M.  McWhinney,  P.  McCuUough,  and  H.  Y.  Rush  executive  board. 


252  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

received  amounted  to  |8,059.00.  Home  mission  aid  had  been 
extended  to  points  in  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  New  Hamp- 
shire, New  York,  Michigan,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Wisconsin, 
Missouri,  Virginia,  Nebraska  and  Kansas. 

FOREIGN  MISSIONS 

,  ^t  last  the  denomination  had  fairly  entered  upon  a  settled 
missionary  policy  perpetuated  by  an  effective  central  organiza- 
tion. Dr.  J.  P.  Watson  had  made  it  successful,  and  hence  he 
is  frequently  called  "father"  of  organized  missionary  work 
among  the  Christians.  But  still  another  missionary  enterprise 
must  be  credited  to  him. 

Back  in  the  thirties  and  forties  agitation  for  missions 
abroad  had  met  with  rebuff.  A  brilliant  editor  repeatedly 
assured  his  readers  that  the  denomination  was  still  young  and 
not  wealthy  and  could  hardly  handle  its  home  work;  and  be- 
sides there  were  heathen  enough  at  home.^  Plenty  of  people 
dissented  from  such  reasoning,  but  still  they  did  nothing. 
Missionary-evangelists  ^  of  the  Christians  "out  west"  were  said 
to  be  instructing  Indians,  and  that  came  next  to  heathenism.^ 

When  the  African  Colonization  Society  was  carrying  on 
operations,  a  colored  man,  Isaac  Scott  of  Raleigh  Christian 
Church,  N'orth  Carolina,  was  ordained  and  sent  to  Liberia,  West 
Africa.  Scott  sailed  from  Norfolk  in  1852,  settling  at  St. 
Paul's  River,  Monrovia.*  Another  colored  man,  Seth  A. 
Howell,  of  Newport  News,  Virginia,  has  more  recently  been 
ordained  and  gone  to  Liberia  also.^  But  Scott  was  probably 
the  first  foreign  missionary  from  the  denomination. 

The  Colonization  Society  served  to  bring  Africa  into  prom- 
inence, and  men  of  the  New  England  Christian  Convention 
turned  longing  eyes  toward  that  continent  as  a  mission  field. 
At  a  session  of  the  Convention  in  1853,  James  Burlingame  stood 

1  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  VI,  pp.  5,  105.  ==  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  VI,  p.  5.       Taylor, 

Chap     VII.  ^  See    Tract,    "The    Missionary    and    Indian,"    by    Elder    David 

Millard.  "  H.  «•  L-  June  8,  18.5.3,  '■  Kernodle,  p.  128. 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS  253 

up  and  offered  to  be  one  of  a  hundred  to  raise  one  thousand 
dollars  for  supporting  a  foreign  missionary.  Eleven  respond- 
ed immediately,  and  a  committee  was  chosen  to  raise  the 
balance.^  The  proposal  seemed  to  be  heartily  seconded,  and 
funds  accumulated.  The  Juvenile  Missionary  Society  and 
Suuday  School  Missionary  Society  of  the  Portsmouth  church 
at  once  pledged  ten  dollars  each.  For  several  years  n-oney 
was  received.  Rev.  Thomas  Holmes  volunteered  for  service; 
but  the  one  thousand  dollar  fund  never  was  completed,  and 
finally  about  1875  the  whole  matter  was  dropped. 

Nothing  further  was  done  in  behalf  of  foreign  missions 
until  early  in  the  eighties,  when  agitation  was  i-enewed. 

1  U.  G.  L.,  June  16,  1853. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  XI 

Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  Vols.  I-VIII. 

Christian  Herald,  Vols.  I-XVI. 

Christian  Palladium,  Vols.  I-XXX. 

Gospel  Herald,  Vols.  I-XXV ;  especially  Vols.  I-IV. 

Memoir  of  Elder  Elijah  Shaw,  by  his  Daughter. 

Life  of  Elder  Mark  Fernald,  written  by  himself. 

Lives  of  Christian  Ministers,  by  P.  J.  Kernodle,  M.  A. 

Memoir  of  Elder  Benjamin  Taylor,  by  E.  Edmunds.  Geo.  W.  White, 
Boston,  Mass.      1850. 

Life  and  Writings  of  Nicholas  Summerbell,  edited  by  his  son,  J.  .J. 
Summerbell.  Dayton,  Ohio.      1000. 

Centennial  of  Religious  Journalism,  edited  by  J.  P.  Barrett,  D.  D. 

Minutes  of  the  American  Christian  Convention,  and  its  predeces- 
sors, 1825-1878. 

Minutes  of  the  New  p:ngland  Christian  Convention  and  the  Southern 
Christian  Convention,  so  far  as  they  cover  this  period;  also  sundry 
printed  minutes  of  various  conferences,  in  the  "Roberts  Collection," 
belonging  to  The  Christian  Publishing  Association. 


CHAPTER  XII 


CHAPTER  XII 

American  Christian  Convention — Sectional  Conventions — 
State  Conferences — Colored  Conferences — Statistics^ 

1878-1894 

MANY  were  the  interesting  features  and  undertakings  of 
this  period ;  and  records  of  various  departments  of  work 
and  organizations  are  so  plethoric  that  brevity  must  be 
studied  even  in  this  outline.  Institutions  come  now  to  monop- 
olize attention. 

AMERICAN  christian  CONVENTION 

When  the  Convention  assembled  at  Albany,  New  York,  in 
1882,  there  were  momentous  questions  to  be  considered :  condi- 
tion of  the  Publishing  Association's  business;  a  growing  mis- 
sionary enterprise  to  provide  for;  need  of  changed  organization; 
adequate  means  for  raising  money. 

Nothing  was  done  with  the  first  subject,  except  to  order 
it  followed  up  to  the  succeeding  quadrennial.  Mission  Secre- 
tary Watson  made  an  exhaustive  report  about  the  missionary 
work,  and  a  strong  board  was  elected  to  forward  missions. 
This  is  usually  regarded  as  the  Missionary  Department's  real 
organization.  Dr.  Watson  being  continued  as  Secretary.-  How 
the  New  Bedford  Convention,  in  ISSC^,  assumed  control  of  its 
home  missionary  enterprise,  Franklinton  Christian  College, 
and  formation  of  a  Woman's  Board  for  Foreign  ^Missions  will 
be  matter  for  another  chapter;  the  action  relative  to  those 
subjects  sufficed  to  render  that  Convention  memorable.  Four 
years  later,  in  1890,  a  Woman's  Board  for  Home  ^Missions  was 
created,  with  organization  similar  to  that  of  its  sister  body. 

'  Much  of  the  matter  for  this  chapter  has  heen  furnished  hy  officers  and  men 
conversant   witli    the   facts.  ^  Revs.   C.    W.   Garoutte,   P.    McCullougli,    O.    T. 

Wyman  and  E.  Mudge  were  directors. 


258  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Although  plans  were  suggested  supposed  sufficiently  to  provide 
for  finances,  they  were  not  adopted.  Delegates  from  the 
Southern  Convention  being  present  and  welcomed  at  Albany, 
delegates  were  chosen  to  visit  that  body  representing  tlie 
American  Christian  Convention.^ 

Some  questions  were  projected  forward  into  the  Convention 
of  1886,  held  in  that  famous  whaling  city,  New  Bedford,  Massa- 
chusetts, when  and  where  membership  of  the  American  Chris- 
tian Convention  and  The  Christian  Publishing  Association  were 
made  identical.  Christian  union  was  again  mooted,  on  account 
of  overtures  for  federation  or  co-operation  by  Free  Will  Bap- 
tists and  Christians.  The  General  Baptists  of  England  sent 
greetings  about  the  matter.  Free  Will  Baptist  representatives 
were  present  to  explain  their  position.  The  "New  York  basis" 
was  presented  and  discussed."  In  the  West  meetings  of  Chris- 
tian Union  people  and  the  Christians  had  been  held  to  foster 
union,  and  a  ''basis  and  plan"  had  been  drawn  up  which  were 
submitted  at  New  Bedford  and  approved.  A  committee  to 
confer  with  corresponding  committees  from  other  bodies  about 
union  was  elected.  In  1890  actual  union  with  the  Christian 
Union  people  was  reported  existing  in  Ohio;  but  negotiations 
with  Free  Will  Baptists  in  New  York  struck  a  snag  and  stop- 
ped when  combination  of  educational  institutions  was  reached. 
The  end  was  not  yet,  however.  At  Haverhill  "union"  agitation 
was  more  pronounced  than  at  preceding  conventions.  Corre- 
spondence had  been  carried  on  between  the  Standing  Committee 
on  Christian  Union  and  representatives  of  the  Congregational 
National  Council.  Rev.  William  Hayes  Ward  was  present 
to  speak  for  the  Council.  A  lengthy  committee  report  finally 
recommended  a  co-operative  union  between  the  two  denomina- 
tions, which  should  not  affect  the  standing  of  either  denomina- 
tion's institutions."  This  action  entailed  much  subsequent 
discussion  and  bitterness. 

1  See  Report  of  Albany  Convention.  =  ggg  Convention  Report.  '  H. 

G.   L.,  November  22,  1894. 


a:mi:rican  christian  convention        259 

During  this  period,  at  the  Convention  of  1890,  without 
legishition  or  formality,  delegates  from  tlie  South  took  their 
places  in  Convention  and  participated  in  business,  then  reunit- 
ing the  sections  which  had  been  cleft  in  twain  since  1854. 

In  1800  a  very  ambitious  plan  was  broached  and  adopted, 
recommending  observance  of  the  centenary  anniversary  of  the 
Christian  Church  on  the  second  Sunday  in  January,  1894,  and 
gathering  of  funds  upon  that  day  toward  founding  a  "Christian 
University,"  for  which  half  a  million  to  two  million  dollars 
would  be  needed.  The  sequel  to  this  action  is  quickly  told— 
nothing  done. 

The  same  year  the  Convention  protested  against  Sunday 
opening  of  the  World's  Fair  in  Chicago,  1893. 

One  significant  indication  of  development  was  addition 
of  a  new  department,  called  Department  of  Christian  Endeavor, 
in  1894,  with  Rev.  G.  A.  Conibear,  of  New  England,  as  Secre- 
tary.^      Readers  of  these  pages  hardly  need  to  be  told  the 
phenomenal  history  of  Christian  Endeavor,  but  a  few  facts 
will  help  to  connect  Christian  Endeavor  and  the  Christian 
Church.      Rev.  Francis  E.  Clark  was  pastor  of  Williston  Con- 
gregational Church,  Portland,  Maine,  which  was  composed  very 
largely  of  young  people.       To  conserve  revival  results  which 
brought  a  considerable  number  of  young  men  and  women  into 
his  church  during  the  week  of  prayer  and  subsequently,  in  1881 
the  pastor  conceived  the  Endeavor  idea  and  drafted  the  pledge 
and  constitution  which  have  since  become  world-famous,  but 
were  first  adopted  by  the  Williston  Young  People's  Society  of 
Christian  Endeavor  on  a  bitter  cold  Februarv  afternoon \he 
year  mentioned.       More  than  eight  months  passed  before  a 
second  society  was  organized,  in  October,  in  North  Congrega- 
tional Church,  Newburyport,  Massachusetts.       The  third  was 
in  the  Christian  Church  of  Scituate  (Rockland),  Rhode  Island 
Within  a  few  years  Christian  Endeavor  was  firmly  planted  in 

'  The  Cralsvllle  Christian  Endeavor  Summer  TTntnn   ho/i  r,o+i*-       .,  ^, 
vention  of  1894  to  elect  such  a  Secrctary.l^H    "  L  °November22!'l89l     ^  ^°°" 


260  THE  CHKISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

churches  in  Canada,  New  England,  New  York,  New  Jersey, 
Ohio,  Indiana  and  farther  west.  Several  conferences  had 
Endeavor  departments;  the  New  England  Convention  created 
such  a  department  in  1892;  and  that  year  weekly  space  was 
devoted,  in  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Uherty,  to  Endeavor  work 
and  devotional  topics.  Denominational  rallies  were  held  dur- 
ing the  International  Conventions  of  1892,  1893,  and  1891. 
Secretary  Conibear  vigorously  pushed  the  young  people's  work, 
and  met  with  splendid  response.  And  now,  in  1891,  the  Amer- 
ican Christian  Convention  formally  recognized  the  new  acces- 
sion to  Christian  agencies  by  creating  a  Department  of 
Christian  Endeavor,  just  as  the  denomination  was  turning  its 
hundredth  milestone,  and  following  the  great  International 
Christian  Endeavor  Convention  at  Cleveland.  Dr.  Bishop, 
Mission  Secretary,  reported  that  Endeavors  had  contributed 
more  than  one  thousand  dollars  for  foreign  missions. 

NEW  ENGLAND  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION 

This  body  has  steadily  adhered  to  business  since  its  organ- 
ization, but  reached  its  maximum  growth  and  activity  before 
1880.  In  later  years  many  older  men  have  passed  away,  a 
good  many  churches  have  suffered  desolation  by  rural  depop- 
ulation, or  by  shifting  of  population  and  change  of  its  char- 
acter. Other  causes  have  contributed  to  a  decline,  and 
transferring  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Libert jj  to  its  western  home 
has  probably  had  some  effect  upon  the  situation. 

Home  mission  churches  have  been  fostered  in  Bangor, 
Maine ;  Manchester,  New  Hampshire ;  Spruce  Street  and  Bon- 
ney  Street,  New  Bedford ;  and  Fall  River,  Massachusetts.  The 
Educational  Society  has  contributed  annually  for  student  sup- 
port and  for  maintenance  of  the  Christian  Biblical  Institute. 
In  the  early  eighties  effort  was  still  being  made  to  endow  a 
professorship. 

Naturally  the  New  England  Convention  led  in  adopting 
Christian  Endeavor  and  setting  it  to  work.      During  the  Con- 


NEW  ENGLAND  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION       201 

vention  of  1892,  at  Kaudolpli,  Veniiont,  a  Christian  Endeavor 
I)ej)ai-tiiieut  was  treated,  and  ever  since  New  England  Endeav- 
orers  have  contributed  hirgely  to  STij)porting  a  woman  mission- 
ary in  Japan. ^ 

An  institution  exerting  considerable  influence  on  the 
denomination  in  New  England  owes  its  existence  partly  to  the 
New  England  Christian  Convention.  Rev.  J.  A.  Perry,  of 
Providence,  Rhode  Island,  and  brothers  Horatio  N.  and  Fred- 
rick A.,  had  acquired  a  tract  of  land  about  1872,  in  Barnstable 
County,  on  Cape  Cod,  fronting  on  the  south  shore.  At  a 
meeting  of  the  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  Christian 
Ministerial  Association,  held  in  First  Church,  New  Bedford,  in 
April,  1872,  they  proposed  donating  a  certain  parcel  of  land 
near  the  village  of  Hyannis,  to  be  used  for  an  annual  camp- 
meeting.  A  committee  visited  the  locality  and  reported  to  the 
New  England  Convention  in  June.  Wheren})on  Convention 
approved  the  idea,  and  then  appointed  a  committee  to  arrange 
for  such  meeting,  and  form  a  Camp  Meeting  Association  in 
accordance  with  Massachusetts  statutes. 

Meantime  a  few  cottages  were  built  among  the  j)ines  on  the 
location  selected,  while  a  large  tent  was  pitched  on  an  eminence 
near  by.  :Meetings  actually  began  in  August,  1872,  lasting  ten 
days,  with  seventy-two  Christian  ministers  present.  Several 
conversions  and  baptisms  resulted.  Forty-four  tents  and  cot- 
tages were  erected  the  first  season.  After  surveying  and 
platting  the  grounds,  the  Association  offered  free  lots  to  New 
England  churches  willing  to  build  thereon,  and  sixteen  churches 
committed  themselves  to  building.  The  trustees  held  their 
first  annual  meeting  during  the  first  campmeeting.- 

Rev.  Mr.  Perry  and  his  brothers  made  large  outlay  for  the 
initial  meeting.  They  were  reimbursed,  a  title  deed  was 
passed,   and  a  tal)ernacle  sixty  by  eighty  feet.  <:overed   with 

\Miss  Christine  Penrod  was  so  supporter!  for  vears.  nnr]  now  Miss  Alire  True 
has   similar  backing  =  President,   Rev.   William    Miller:   Vice-President.   Rev. 

S.T\  right    Butler;    Secrettiry.    Rev.    C.    A.    Tillinghast ;    Treasurer,    Rev.    B     S 
rJatcheler. 


262  THE  CHKISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

canvas,  was  erected,  a  post-office  and  hotel  being  added  the 
second  season. 

In  1878  more  land  was  purchased,  practically  covering  the 
present  beautiful  grounds,  reaching  shoreward  to  the  high  bluff 
overlooking  the  bay  and  ocean  beyond.  Not  till  1889  was  the 
beach  purchased.  That  addition  made  possible  a  perfect  sum- 
mer abode  and  place  of  assembly.  In  honor  of  Eev.  Austin 
Craig,  the  place  was  called  ''Craigville." 

In  1886  the  matter  of  a  new  tabernacle  was  discussed,  and 
finally  the  present  ample  structure  was  built  at  a  cost  of 
twenty-two  hundred  dollars.  It  has  asphalt  floor,  a  large 
platform,  and  seating  capacity  of  about  eight  hundred.  Cir- 
cumstances rendered  it  advisable  for  the  Association  to  own  a 
hotel,  and  Central  Park  Cottage  was  purchased  of  C.  M.  Gustin, 
several  times  enlarged  and  iraprov^ed,  and  re-named  ''Craig- 
ville  Inn." 

In  early  days  ministers  of  the  denomination  from  outside 
New  England  used  to  flock  to  Craigville  with  their  New 
England  brethren.  Many  laymen  were  accustomed  to  spend 
a  week  there  for  campmeeting;  but  latterly  all  New  England 
has  become  one  great  summer  resort,  attracting  people  to 
nearer  camps,  and  Craigville  wears  the  aspect  of  a  summer 
watering  place.  That  Craigville  has  played  a  large  part  in 
denominational  history  is  evidenced  by  a  membership  record  of 
more  than  seven  hundred  fifty  names  of  people  East,  North  and 
West.i 

The  summer  camp  to-day  is  delightful.  Starting  behind 
the  tabernacle  amongst  pines  at  the  north,  one  finds  a  pumping 
station  for  the  water  system ;  then  the  large  tabernacle ;  then 
he  walks  down  toward  Central  Park  over  which  "Old  Glory" 
waves  aloft.  On  either  side  is  a  street  flanked  with  tidy  cot- 
tages, a  wee  little  post-office  at  the  right.  Across  the  south 
end  of  the  park  is  Chequaquet  Inn ;  passing  around  which  one 
can  walk  down  an  avenue  beside  a  lake  studded  with  lily  pads, 

^  This  sketch  was  prepared  from  the  Camp  Meeting  Association  Records. 


SOUTHERN  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION  263 

or  follow  a  thoroughfare  over  an  eminence  to  the  bluff.  Stand- 
ing tliere  one  sees  old  ocean,  glimmering  in  the  sun,  its  waters 
ceaselessly  laving  the  beach.  Then  crossing  the  broad  cran- 
berry bog  on  a  board  walk,  you  don  your  bathing  suit  and 
plunge  into  salt  water.  Expensive  summer  cottages  are  spring- 
ing up  all  around.  Craigville  is  not  what  it  was,  and  may 
never  again  be;  but  more  beautiful  and  more  healthful. 

SOUTHERN   CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION 

Home  missions  and  education  have  been  leading  themes 
with  this  Convention.  Several  strong  churches  were  planted, 
by  Convention  aid,  between  1878  and  1894,  as  follows :  in  New- 
port News,  Greensboro,  Virginia  Valley,  Georgia  and  Alabama. 
Noteworthy  co-operation  has  been  exhibited  in  such  work,  and 
a  body  much  weakened  by  the  desolations  of  war  has  won  wide 
recognition  for  its  sacrificing  perennial  effort.  One  home 
mission  undertaking  demands  attention  by  itself.  The  Con- 
vention of  1890  approved  an  effort  to  organize  a  memorial 
church  at  Norfolk,  Virginia,  under  direction  of  the  Eastern 
Virginia  Conference,  with  Rev.  C.  J.  Jones  as  minister, 
to  commemorate  reunion  of  the  Christians,  North  and  South. 
In  1894  Memorial  Temple  was  dedicated  amid  rejoicing.  Dr. 
Jones  was  followed  in  the  pastorate  by  Rev.  J.  P.  Barrett, 
under  whose  labors  Memorial  Temple  became  the  leading  mis- 
sionary church  in  the  denomination,  holding  that  distinction 
for  many  years. 

Elon  College  is  a  splendid  commentary  on  the  pluck  and 
energy  with  which  the  Convention  has  consistently  aided  its 
child  through  every  vicissitude.  And  maintenance  of  the 
Christian  Hun  has  been  no  less  hearty  and  consistent.  A 
denominational  college  for  the  South  was  projected  in  1882; 
but  Rev.  D.  A,  Long's  call  to  Antioch  deferred  that  undertaking 
six  years.  However,  Elon  College  threw  open  its  chapel  for 
Convention  use  in  1892,  and  then  the  southern  brethren  inspect- 


264  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

ed  with  joy  and  pride  the  real  institution  that  so  many  years 
lay  in  their  dreams. 

In  188G  the  Southern  Convention  elected  a  Board  of  Con- 
trol, looking  toward  foreign  missionary  work.  When,  however, 
the  American  Christian  Convention  met  and  voted  to  begin 
missionary  work  in  Japan,  and  when  Rev.  and  Mrs.  D.  F.  Jones, 
of  North  Carolina,  volunteered  for  the  Japan  field,  the  Southern 
Convention  co-operated  with  the  general  body  and  has  since 
regularly  contributed  toward  denominational  foreign  missions. 
In  1892  a  Christian  Missionary  Association  was  organized,  that 
for  years  wrought  successfully,  but  is  now  displaced  by  smaller 
conference  associations. 

Again  we  reach  the  centennial  year  1894,  and  find  the 
Southern  Convention  assembled  in  Memorial  Christian  Tem- 
ple, at  Norfolk,  Virginia,  together  with  the  Executive  Board  of 
the  American  Christian  Convention,  present  by  invitation,  and 
other  northern  visitors.  On  Sunday  the  Temple,  which  had 
been  erected  as  a  memorial  to  re-established  fellowship,  was 
dedicated.  North  and  South  rejoiced,  and  those  Sabbath  ob- 
servances became  a  valued  historical  monument  in  the  Southern 
Convention's  existence. 

STATE    CONFERENCES 

Perhaps  the  last  and  logical  step  in  organizing  the 
denomination  at  large  was  begun  and  completed  in  those  larger 
associations  called  state  conferences  or  state  associations,  the 
first  of  which  dates  from  about  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.^ 
The  Southern  Christian  Convention,  and  the  New  England 
Christian  Convention,  had  been  in  existence  for  many  years  and 
performed  excellent  offices  for  the  cause  in  their  respective 
territories.  In  large  western  states,  where  many  conferences 
had  been  instituted  in  each  state,  there  was  felt  a  need  of  some 

'  state  conferences  existed  in  earlier  times,  but  with  a  little  different  organ- 
ization and  purpose.  Tlie  "Vermont  State  Conference"  was  in  existence  in  1823  ; 
the  New  Hampshire  Conference  still  met  after  its  three  county  conferences  were 
organized.       General  Conference  spoke  of  "State  Conferences." 


STATE  CONFERENCES  205 

unifying  bond,  or  perhaps  it  were  better  to  say  some  larger 
supervisory  agency  to  further  common  interests. 

Representatives  of  various  sections  of  Ohio  met  at  Colum- 
bus in  May,  1806,  and  formed  the  Ohio  State  Christian  Asso- 
ciation, with  a  declaration  of  principles,  constitution  and 
by-laws.  The  said  declaration  may  be  here  quoted  as  a  fair 
indication  of  the  denomination's  general  position  so  far  as  that 
has  been  committed  to  writing  and  printer's  ink. 

''1.  We  would  re-affirm  the  principles  avowed  by  our 
fathers,  that  the  Bible,  being  the  revealed  will  of  God,  should 
therefore  be  accepted  as  the  only  infallible  guide  in  the  forma- 
tion and  direction  of  our  religious  faith  and  practice. 

''2,  As  a  church  we  allow  and  vindicate  the  right  of  indi- 
vidual judgment  in  the  interpretation  of  the  Bible ;  and  hence 
a  Christian  spirit,  and  Christian  life  are  our  only  tests  of 
Christian  fellowship. 

"3.  We  accept  no  name  but  that  of  'Christian.'  Tn  this. 
however,  we  do  not  arrogate  that  title  to  ourselves  alone  or 
specially,  but  cheerfully  accord  an  equal  claim  to  it  to  all  who 
bear  the  Christian  spirit.  Yet,  as  a  distinct  organization  we 
wish  to  ignore  any  and  every  name  which  has  in  its  very  enun- 
ciation the  semblance  of  narrowness  and  exclusiveness." 

The  stated  purpose  of  the  Association  embodies  in  a  gen- 
eral way  objects  sought  by  all  similar  bodies  in  the  denomi- 
nation, and  may  be  quoted  as  a  sample.  It  is  to  '^effectually 
carry  forward  missionary  work,  promote  Sunday-school  inter- 
ests, build  up  and  enlarge  our  educational  and  publishing 
interests,  and  provide  for  the  wants  of  our  superannuated 
ministers,  and  widows  of  ministers  who  have  died  in  the  work." 
Not  all  associations  attempt  sustentation  of  aged  ministers  and 
their  widows;  but  all  have  a  distinctly  missionary  outlook,  and 
foster  general  denominational  interests.  The  Ohio  Association 
provided  five  departments  with  supervising  secretaries,  and 
the  first  general  officers  were :  Rev.  H.  K.  McConnell,  President ; 
Rev.  J.  B.  Weston,  Secretary;  Rev.  T.  M.  McWliinney,  Treas- 


266  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

urer.  Actual  work  through  all  the  years  following  has 
suggested  some  constitutional  changes,  chiefly  by  way  of 
enlarging  the  scope  of  activity,  and  incorporation  in  1891  gave 
the  Association  legal  standing.  From  first  to  last  this  Asso- 
ciation has  handled  considerable  money,  has  been  a  liberal 
benefactor  of  churches  in  Springfield,  Columbus,  and  other 
places,  has  given  liberally  toward  support  of  Antioch  College, 
and  made  the  first  large  gift  toward  endowing  Defiance  College, 
On  the  records  appear  many  names  of  leading  men  among  the 
Christians  in  Ohio. 

A  few  months  after  the  Ohio  State  Christian  Association 
was  formed,  a  meeting  of  interested  persons  from  various  parts 
of  New  York  state  met  at  Newark,  and  organized  the  New 
York  State  Christian  Association,  on  practically  the  basis 
detailed  above.  This  body  meets  biennially.  Like  each  of 
the  state  associations  it  has  had  a  school  within  its  bounds  to 
support,  and  has  from  the  inception  of  that  institution  fostered 
Christian  Biblical  Institute.  Home  missionary  enterprises 
have  received  assistance  in  New  York  City,  Brooklyn,  Albany, 
St.  Johnsville,  Binghamton,  and  Erie,  Pa.,  and  weak  churches 
have  not  been  forgotten.  The  Sunday-school  Department  has 
credit  for  securing  the  general  observance  of  Children's  Day 
in  New  York  conferences  and  churches. 

The  Iowa  State  Christian  Conference  dates  its  life  from 
the  year  1872,  when  organization  was  effected  in  that  state. 
As  in  sister  bodies,  general  interests  are  committed  to  depart- 
ment heads  of  which  there  are  four.  Trustees  for  Palmer 
College  (formerly  known  as  Le  Grand  Christian  College)  are 
elected  by  the  Conference,  and  hence  that  body  is  directly  con- 
cerned with  the  College's  management  and  success.  Home 
mission  enterprises  have  been  aided. 

Agitation  for  a  state  organization  in  Indiana  was  begun 
in  the  summer  of  1876  by  Eev.  D.  W.  Jones,  who  was  publish- 
ing a  magazine  called  The  Christian  Age,  devoted  to  the  inter- 
ests of  Indiana  churches.      He  sent  a  circular  letter  to  leading 


STATE  CONFERENCES  2G7 

churches,  and  in  response  to  his  appeal  a  meeting  of  interested 
parties  was  convened  in  July,  1877,  in  the  city  of  Marion, 
presided  over  by  Rev.  D.  W.  Fowler.  Missionary  activity 
among  the  churches  of  the  state,  assistance  for  educational 
institutions,  co-operation  in  local  and  denominational  work, 
church  extension,  and  raising  the  standard  of  the  ministry 
have  demanded  attention  of  the  Conference  for  more  than 
thirty  years.  Union  Christian  College  has  benefitted  largely 
by  its  good  offices,  and  mutual  helpfulness  between  local  con- 
ferences is  attributed  to  good  work  done  by  the  State  Confer- 
ence. Perhaps,  also,  multiplication  of  missionary  societies 
should  be  attributed  largely  to  constant  urging  from  the  state 
organization.  The  constitution  requires  that  a  certain  sum 
of  money  shall  be  applied  to  church  extension  projects. 

The  Kansas  State  Christian  Conference  was  organized  at 
Madison,  Greenwood  County,  in  November,  1881,  in  a  meeting 
called  for  that  purpose,  attended  by  twelve  ministers.  Appro- 
priate constitution  and  by-laws  were  there  adopted,  and  a 
charter  was  later  secured.  Rev.  W.  K.  Stamp  was  chosen 
President,  and  Rev.  E.  Cameron,  Secretary,  the  latter  serving 
in  that  office  for  tw^enty  years.  Rev.  Isaac  Mooney  was 
President  for  sixteen  years.  These  men  have  witnessed  great 
development  in  the  churches  and  the  country.  At  the  second 
Conference  session  Rev.  Thomas  Bartlett  brought  forward 
plans  for  founding  a  college,  which  were  discussed,  and  before 
adjournment  Conference  authorized  its  trustees  to  proceed  to 
found  a  college.  Kansas  Christian  College  is,  therefore,  child 
of  the  State  Conference,  and  the  Conference  trustees  were  also 
made  trustees  of  the  College.  Almost  all  the  ministers  of 
the  denomination  in  Kansas  have  figured  in  the  State  Con- 
ference. 

In  a  meeting  held  for  the  purpose  at  Atwood,  in  October, 
1883,  the  Illinois  State  Christian  Conference  was  called  into 
being,  the  moving  spirits  in  the  cause  being  Revs.  J.  A.  Clapp, 
J.   L.   Towner,   G.   W.   Rippey,   and   Robert   Harris,    the   last 


268  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

named  being  chosen  President  of  tlie  Conference,  and  Rev. 
J.  E.  Amos,  Secretary.  A  large  and  enthusiastic  gathering 
was  this  preliminary  meeting.  A  constitution  was  adopted 
one  year  later,  and  a  committee  appointed  to  secure  a  charter. 
The  work  contemplated  was  included  under  the  heads  of  edu- 
cation, publishing,  temperance,  statistics,  Sunday-schools,  and 
finances,  and  the  Conference  has  laid  great  stress  on  mission- 
ary work  in  more  recent  years.  Home  mission  churches  have 
been  planted  largely  by  Conference  aid  at  Danville,  Atwood, 
Olney,  Tuscola,  and  other  points.  The  Conference  has  at 
different  times  put  a  state  evangelist  in  the  field  to  establish 
and  strengthen  churches.  As  Union  Christian  College  is 
separated  from  Illinois  only  by  the  Wabash  River,  it  is  clear 
that  the  College  has  found  a  large  constituency  in  Illinois,  and 
drawn  much  of  its  support  from  that  state.  In  return  it  has 
trained  many  ministers  and  laj-men  for  the  Christians  in 
Illinois. 

In  a  previous  chapter  has  been  recorded  the  decimation 
of  the  Christians  in  Kentucky  by  defection  of  thousands  to  the 
Disciples  in  the  years  following  the  famous  ^'union"  in  which 
Barton  W.  Stone  figured  so  prominently.  After  the  Chris- 
tians had  recovered  somewhat,  the  Big  Sandy  Conference  occu- 
pied the  southeastern  part  of  the  state  and  included  some 
churches  in  contiguous  parts  of  Virginia.  The  Kentucky 
Christian  Conference  covered  more  westerly  portions  of  the 
state.  The  distance  between  sections  was  great,  and  travel 
from  one  conference  to  the  other  was  difficult.  Accordingly 
members  of  both  conferences  met  at  Concord  Church,  in 
Elliott  County,  near  the  center  of  the  state,  and  late  in  August, 
1871,  formed  the  Middle  Kentucky  Christian  Conference,  other- 
wise known  as  Union  Kentucky  Christian  Conference.  Revs. 
A.  J.  Goodman,  Epison  Syesmore  and  Robert  Gee,  of  the  Big 
Sandy,  and  Revs.  John  Offill,  Johnson  Offill,  Basil  James, 
Daniel  Humphreys,  William  Click,  John  A.  Camjibell,  and 
James  P.  White,  of  the  Kentucky  Conference  participated  in 


STATE  CONFERENCES  269 

the  new  organization.  Cliurehes  reported  to  one  conference 
or  another  actordinji  to  their  convenience.  The  new  confer- 
ence increaised  quite  rapidly.  After  tlie  Kentucky  Christian 
Conference  obtained  a  charter  in  1878,  it  was  thought  desirable 
tliat  the  others  sliould  share  in  the  benefits  of  incorporation, 
and  a  proposal  was  made  that  one  conference  should  be  formed, 
subdivided  into  districts.  At  King's  Chapel,  late  in  October, 
1800,  the  State  Kentucky  Christian  Conference  was  organized, 
the  aged  George  W.  Mefford,  of  Ohio,  presiding.  Kev.  J.  P. 
Sulzer  was  made  President,  and  Rev.  Robert  Gee,  Secretary. 
Then  the  territory  was  parted  into  District  No.  1  and  District 
No.  2,  each  holding  its  annual  gathering  as  the  local  confer- 
ences had  been  wont  to  do. 

All  these  state  organizations  have  continued  to  the  present 
day,  performing  their  functions  with  what  regularity  and  force 
they  could  command.  They  have  exerted  a  good  influence  by 
gathering  church  members  and  ministers  into  larger  units,  by 
bridging  gaps  between  conferences,  by  fostering  church  exten- 
sion and  all  general  denominational  enterprises.  Most  of 
them  have  supported  a  school  or  college,  and  probably  no 
feature  of  their  effort  has  h^en  more  jiroductive  of  good. 
Enabled  by  charter  to  handle  and  raise  money  in  sums  beyond 
what  local  conferences  could  command  as  a  rule,  they  have 
added  very  materially  to  the  permanency  and  institutional  life 
of  the  denomination. 

State  conferences  or  associations  are  composed  of  members 
ex-oflficio  and  delegated.  Certain  officers  of  local  conferences 
are,  by  virtue  of  their  office,  members  of  the  state  body ;  and  the 
local  body  may  choose  at  its  annual  gatherings  other  repre- 
sentatives, the  ratio  of  representation  being  fixed  by  state 
conference  law. 

The  Woman's  Board  for  Home  Missions  and  the  Woman's 
Board  for  Foreign  Missions  have  state  organizations  auxiliary 
to  the  state  conferences,  as  they  also  have  auxiliaries  to  the 
local  conferences. 


270  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

COLORED  CONFERENCES 

Following  the  War  churches  began  to  be  formed,  according 
to  the  i)olit.v  and  nsage  of  the  ('hristian  denomination,  for 
colored  people  in  the  South.  Their  early  records  are  mostly 
gone,  but  a  few  facts  have  been  preserved. 

In  1867,  under  guidance  of  the  North  Carolina  Conference, 
a  conference  of  colored  people  was  organized  and  named 
"Western  Colored  Christian  Conference,"  (now  called  North 
Carolina  Christian  Conference),  composed  of  about  twelve 
ministers  and  fifteen  to  twenty  churches.  Rev.  William  Hayes, 
President.  The  North  Carolina  Conference  was  commended 
for  its  course  by  the  Southern  Christian  Convention  in  1870, 
and  other  white  conferences  advised  to  follow  the  example.^ 

In  1873  the  Eastern  Virginia  Colored  Christian  Confer- 
ence was  organized.  Rev.  Justin  Copeland,  President.  A  little 
later,  in  1888,  the  Eastern  Atlantic  Christian  Conference  of 
North  Carolina  was  formed. 

A  year  later  the  Western  Conference  reported  twenty- 
three  ministers  and  about  thirty-five  churches,  eight  churches 
having  also  been  dismissed  to  the  Eastern  Conference.  In 
November,  1875,  Rev.  William  Hazel  was  deputed  to  organize 
a  Colored  Christian  Conference  in  Tennessee.  Further  record 
is  lacking. 

The  Eastern  Conference  reported  in  1874  eleven  min- 
isters and  seven  churches,  and  two  new  churches  were  received 
at  that  session.  The  Virginia  Conference  reported  seven  min- 
isters and  seven  churches,  one  new  one  having  been  received 
that  year.  Increase  of  churches  continued,  until  there  were 
five  conferences  in  1896:  North  Carolina,  Eastern  Virginia, 
Eastern  Atlantic  (replacing  the  Eastern  North  Carolina), 
Cape  Fear  (not  now  in  existence),  and  Georgia  and  Alabama, 
the  last  formed  in  1887.      The  full  membership  was  about  6,000. 

^  See  Report  of  Southern  Christian  Convention  for  1870. 


DENOMINATIONAL  GROWTH  271 

The  latest  is  Lincoln  Conference  in  North  Carolina,  formed  by 
a  division  of  the  North  Carolina  Conference  in  1910. 

The  colored  conferences  have  paralleled  work  done  by 
white  conferences.  Franklinton  Christian  College  has  received 
their  support,  and  a  principal's  residence  was  erected  by  them 
(which  was  destroyed  by  fire  a  few  years  ago).  They  have 
promoted  Sunday-school  work,  home  missions,  and  moral 
reform. 

At  Watson  Tabernacle,  New  Berne,  North  Carolina,  in 
May,  1892,  the  Afro-Christian  Convention  was  organized,  con- 
sisting of  delegates  from  all  colored  conferences  named.  This 
larger  organization  has  but  begun  to  make  itself  felt. 

In  more  recent  years  two  colored  conferences  have  grown 
rapidly  and  become  strong — the  North  Carolina  and  Eastern 
Virginia. 

Franklinton  Christian  College  has  contributed  largely  to 
the  culture  and  advancement  of  the  colored  ministry  and  church 
workers.  Its  graduates  are  now  holding  responsible  positions 
in  both  churches  and  communities  where  they  live. 

DENOMINATIONAL  GROWTH 

During  this  period  a  few  new  conferences  were  organized, 
indicating  where  new^  churches  had  multiplied.^  As  in 
previous  periods  there  was  also  re-formation  of  conferences. 
Tippecanoe  Conference  in  Indiana  became  Northv/estern  Indi- 
ana; Northern  Kansas;  Spring  River,  including  churches  in 
both  Kansas  and  Missouri ;  Western  Michigan  and  Northern 
Illinois,  successor  to  Southern  Michigan  and  Northern  Indiana; 
Kansas  State  Conference;  Illinois  State  Conference;  Bible 
Union,  in  Indiana;  Soutliern  Pennsylvania;  Kentucky  State 
Conference;  Eastern  Atlantic  (colored);  Southwestern  West 
Virginia;  Northwestern  Arkansas;  Western  Arkansas;  North 
Carolina  and  Virginia;  Western  North  Carolina,  and  Eastern 
North   Carolina,   formed    bj'   partition   of  the    united    North 

»  See  Ap.,  p.  389. 


272  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Carolina  and  Virginia  and  Deep  River  Conferences;  Western 
Washington.  Most  of  the  growth  was,  therefore,  in  western 
and  southern  states. 

The  "Year  Book"  for  1892  placed  the  denominational 
membership  at  118,229.  There  had  been  steady  growth,  mem- 
bership of  individual  chvirches  increasing  rather  faster  than 
territorial  expansion. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  XII 

Minutes  of  the  American  Christian  Convention,  1878-1894. 
Minutes  of  the  New  England  Christian  Convention,  1878-1894. 
Minutes  of  the  Southern  Christian  Convention,  1878-1894. 
Annual  of  the  Christian  Church  (South),  1878-1894. 
Records  of  the  Various  State  Conferences,  1866-1894. 
jNIinutes  of  the  Colored  Christian  Conferences,  odd  volumes. 
Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  Vols.  LXX-XCVI. 
Records  of  the  Christian  Camp  Meeting  Association. 


CHAPTER  XIII 


CHArTER  XIII 

Continued  College  Building — Organized  Missions 

lS78-lS0.'t 

Retrospect  of  One  Hundred  Years 
n94-189Jt 

R1']ADERS  who  perused  carefnlly  the  foregoing  chapters 
have  found  much  interesting  history  centering  about  the 
attempts  to  found  schools  and  colleges;  and  could  we 
but  delve  beneath  the  superficial  aspects,  we  would  find  tragedy 
lurking  where  least  expected.  Perhaps  it  is  better  that  the 
public  knows  not  of  the  tragic  events  attending  those  early 
struggles.  We  now  resume  the  denominational  educational 
history. 

SUFFOLK  collegiate  INSTITUTE^ 

To  retrace  a  few  steps :  when  the  Southern  Christian  Con- 
vention met  in  Suffolk,  Ya.,  in  1870,  the  Committee  on  Schools 
and  Colleges,  Rev.  John  N.  Manning,  Chairman,  recommended 
the  establishment  of  normal  and  theological  schools  within  the 
several  conferences.  Out  of  this  re<ommendation  grew  Suffolk 
Collegiate  Institute.  Chairman  Manning  became  soliciting 
agent  for  the  j)roposed  Institute  of  the  Eastern  Yirginia  Con- 
ference, and  the  state  legislature  passed,  in  March,  1874,  "An 
Act  to  Incorporate  the  Suffolk  Collegiate  Institute." 

Tlowever.  school  opened  in  January,  1872,  and  the  institu- 
tion j)rospered  beyond  expectations,  more  than  one  hundred 
pupils  being  enrolled  within  a  year  or  tv\^o.  Rev.  W.  B. 
Wcllous  was  elected  as  principal,  and  was  succeeded,  at 
his  death,  by  Rev.  C.  A.  Apple.       For  two  and  a  half  years 

'  Matter  for  this  sketch  was  kindly  furnished  l)y  Prof.  P.  .T.  Kernodle,  M.  A. 


276  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Joseph  King  was  principal,  followed  in  the  year  1878  by  P.  J. 
Kernodle. 

Early  in  the  eighties  the  school  bnildings  had  been  gi'eatly 
enlarged  and  improved,  and  the  success  attending  the  Institute 
thus  far  gave  much  hope  for  a  bright  future.  The  Southern 
Christian  Convention  established  a  theological  department 
there  in  1886,  Avith  Rev.  W.  W.  Staley  as  instructor;  a 
venture  which  seemed  amply  justified.  Thus  matters  contin- 
ued until  the  opening  of  Elou  College  in  1890,  when  the  denom- 
ination's strength  was  thrown  behind  the  College,  and  the  Insti- 
tute gave  way  to  this  new  child  of  the  Convention.  But  there 
was  a  high  school  maintained  in  the  old  Institute  buildings  in 
Suffolk,  until  they  were  burned  in  1892. 

As  Holy  Neck  Female  Seminary  was  supplanted  by  Suffolk 
Collegiate  Institute  before  the  War,  so  the  Institute  was  now 
supplanted  by  Elon  College. 

KANSAS  CHRISTIAN  COLLEGE 

The  second  session  of  the  Kansas  State  Christian  Confer- 
ence was  held  at  Bethany  church,  in  Franklin  County,  in  the 
fall  of  1882,  usual  business  being  transacted.  But  at  that  time 
a  larger  undertaking  came  to  the  front,  when  Rev.  Thomas 
Bartlett  offered  a  plan  for  founding  a  denominational  college 
in  Kansas.  The  plan  met  with  favor,  was  adopted,^  and  the 
State  Conference  trustees  became  trustees  of  the  college  to  be. 
A  year  later,  at  Towauda,  Rev.  Mr.  Bartlett  was  chosen  Presi- 
dent of  the  College,  Rev.  E.  Cameron,  Secretary,  and  Rev. 
George  Tenney  professor  of  Biblical  literature  and  mora! 
science. 

The  trustees  were  authorized  to  locate  and  build  a  college 
in  central  Kansas.  Opportunity  was  given  for  towns  to  bid 
for  the  location,  it  being  understood  that  the  town  selected 
must  erect  a  building  to  cost  not  less  than  |10,000,  the  State 
Conference  raising  an  equal  amount  for  endowmejit.      Lincoln 

^  Rev.  Henry  Cole  made  the  motion  to  found  the  collese. 


KANSAS  CHRISTIAN  COLLEGE  277 

was  the  successful  bidder.  A  I'aii-ly  stroiij^  church  already 
existed  there;  three  or  four  Christian  ministers  lived  there; 
and  the  place  was  centrally  located.  Lincoln  is  a  county  seat, 
with  over  two  thousand  people  now,  but  a  few  hundred  then,  a 
little  north  of  the  center  of  Kansas,  elevated  and  healthful. 
On  January  31,  1884,  a  committee  was  chosen  to  contract  with 
the  town's  buildini;-  committee,  to  select  site  and  secure  plans 
for  building;. 

In  the  spring  of  188.")  a  preparatory  school  was  opened, 
under  Rev.  Mr.  Tenney's  direction.  By  fall  President  Bartlett 
had  moved  to  Lincoln  and  assumed  charge  of  the  school,  being 
assisted  by  Mr.  Tenney  and  ]Mrs.  Bartlett,  The  town  rented 
school  rooms  during  the  years  1885-1887,  and  then  the  new 
building,  made  of  materials  dug  from  local  stone  quarries,  was 
sufficiently  completed  to  allow"  of  occupancy.  The  cornerstone 
had  been  laid  in  1885. 

Lincoln  failed  to  fulfill  its  part  of  the  contract,  and  deeded 
the  unfinished  building  to  the  State  Conference  encumbered 
with  debt.  President  Bartlett,  Acting-President  Cameron, 
and  later  President  O.  B.  Whitaker,  all  struggled  with  the 
handicap,  until  the  debt  was  finally  cancelled. 

Rev.  Thomas  Bartlett  w^as  an  eastern  man,  of  good  educa- 
tion, who  had  many  years'  experience  in  the  east  in  the  pulpit 
and  in  teaching.  For  several  years  he  was  Principal  of 
Andover,  New  Hampshire,  Christian  Institute,  (afterw^ards 
removed  to  Wolfeboro,  and  then  again  located  at  Andover  as 
Proctor  Academy,)  where  he  had  achieved  commendable  suc- 
cess, though  handicapped  because  of  limited  funds,  fitting 
several  students  for  Dartmouth  College,  some  of  whom  have 
become  strong  men  in  their  chosen  professions.  From  Andover 
he  went  to  a  professorship  in  Union  Christian  College,  Merom, 
Ind.,  but  did  not  remain  there  long.  Then  he  went  to  Kansas 
and  engaged  in  preaching.  His  pulpit  work  was  of  high  type, 
strong,  logical,  spiritual,  and  his  Christian  character  beautiful, 


278  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

ethereal,  perhaps  heightened  by  declining  health.      In  August, 
1891,  he  relinquished  his  post,  and  died  a  little  later. 

Rev.  E.  Cameron  acted  as  President  for  two  years,  until 
Rev.  O.  B.  Whitaker  went  to  fill  the  vacancy  in  1893.  Dr. 
Whitaker  held  his  post  thirteen  years,  and  during  that  time 
raised  a  large  sum  of  money,  considerable  being  contributed 
from  his  private  means.  He  had  the  satisfaction  of  putting 
the  building  in  good  order,  and  of  seeing  students  assemble  in 
large  numbers. 

CHRISTIAN    CORRESPONDENCE    COLLEGE 

Recognizing  the  limitations  of  many  ministers  whose  cir- 
cumstances forbade  their  attending  a  theological  school,  the 
quadrennial  session  of  the  American  Christian  Convention  of 
1886  approved  "establishment  of  a  correspondence  school  under 
the  care  of  the  president  and  faculty  of  Antioch  College."  Pre- 
liminary announcement  of  Christian  Correspondence  College 
appeared  in  1888,  and  the  following  year,  with  headquarters  at 
Standfordville,  N.  Y.,  the  College  announced  its  faculty  and 
curriculum.  A  Board  of  Control  was  elected,  consisting  of 
Rev.  Martyn  Summerbell,  President,  Rev.  E.  A.  DeVore, 
Secretary,  five  college  presidents  and  three  other  ministers. 
Courses  in  theology  and  kindred  topics  were  offered  that  year. 
The  school  has  continued,  with  some  interruption,  until  the 
present  time.  Perhaps  need  for  it  grows  less  as  other  oppor- 
tunities multiply.  The  registration  has  been  nearly  thirty 
during  some  years. 

VALE,  ANTIOCH 

Their  last  attempt  to  control  Antioch  College  was  made  by 
the  Christians  in  1882  and  following  years,  ending  about  the 
close  of  President  Long's  incumbency.  In  1882  a  Christian 
Educational  Society  was  formed  to  operate  and  finance  the 
school.  Suspension  of  college  work  for  an  indefinite  period  had 
been  announced  at  the  commencement  in  June,  1881.  ''So  the 
doors  were  locked,  the  students  disbanded,  the  professors  called 


VALE,   ANTIOCH  279 

to  other  institutions,  and  silence  held  sway  for  a  year  over  the 
deserted  college."  ^  However,  the  citizens  of  Yellow  Springs, 
to  their  great  credit,  resolved  that  the  College  should  be  started 
again.  They  met  and  chose  a  committee  to  sound  the  trustees 
on  the  question  of  reopening  Antioch  College  under  auspices 
of  the  Christian  denomination.  ^'Favorable  answers  having 
been  received,  another  meeting  was  held  at  Yellow  Springs, 
March  28, 1882.  At  this  meeting  were  present  many  prominent 
members  of  the  Christian  denomination,  and  friends  of  the 
College.  From  these  were  chosen  twenty  men  who  should  con- 
stitute the  Christian  Educational  Society."  ^  Sixteen  hundred 
dollars  income  from  endowment  funds  was  also  placed  in  the 
Society's  hands  to  help  meet  expenses. 

More  difficult  was  the  work  of  securing  a  faculty;  but  by 
fall  that  too  had  been  accomplished.  Rev.  O.  J.  Wait,  of  New 
Hampshire,  being  President,  and  the  faculty  being  called  from 
Vermont,  New  York,  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Nebraska.  Rev.  M. 
M.  Lohr,  field  agent,  diligently  sought  out  students  during  the 
summer,  and  a  good-sized  convocation  was  held  on  Wednesday, 
September  lo,  1882,  in  the  college  chapel.  Many  friends 
assembled  at  that  time  to  rejoice  over  Antioch's  revival,  and  the 
possibility  that  it  might  again  become  a  college  of  the  Chris- 
tians. Rev.  Josiah  Kniglit,  Rev.  E.  W.  Humphreys,  Rev.  Mr. 
Lohr,  and  others  were  very  active  in  behalf  of  the  reopening; 
and  the  sessions  of  September  13  were  much  like  a  celebration 
and  commencement  occasion. 

In  1888,  Rev.  1>.  A.  Long,  of  North  Carolina,  became 
President,  his  administration  continuing  until  summer,  1899. 
His  services  were  effective,  and  in  many  respects  brilliant.  But 
disaffection  arose  in  the  Educational  Society,  which  finally 
abandoned  its  attempt  to  carry  the  college  burden,  and  the 
courts  were  invoked  to  decide  the  rights  of  parties  concerned. 
The  American  Christian  Convention  in  1894  ordered  that  no 
appropriation    from   general    educational    funds   be    made   to 

1  The  Antiochian,  July,  1883.  '  Ibid. 


280  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Antioch  until  such  time  as  the  denomination  should  be  granted 
larger  representation  on  the  board  of  trustees^  (it  then  had 
eight  members,  against  twelve  Unitarians).  This  was  practi- 
cally the  last  expiring  hope  of  the  Christians  relative  to  Antioch. 
One  who  studies  the  list  of  presidents,  professors,  and  stu- 
dents of  Antioch,  and  the  names  of  trustees  and  benefactors, 
must  be  impressed  with  the  fact  that  many  great  and  prominent 
men  have  served  and  befriended  that  College.  One  or  two 
presidents  have  served  Harvard  College  in  the  same  capacity. 
Judge  Mills,  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  early  history  of 
Yellow  Springs  and  Antioch,  said  in  1876  that  "though  Antioch 
has  had  an  existence  of  less  than  twenty-three  years  and  grad- 
uated her  first  class  nineteen  3'ears  ago,  and  though  she  suffered 
an  interruption  during  the  war,  she  can  point  with  pride  to 
the  high  character  of  many  of  her  students,  to-wit:  members 
of  both  branches  of  the  legislature  of  Ohio,  and  of  other  states ; 
a  secretary  of  state;  a  superintendent  of  insurance;  an  attorney 
general;  members  of  congress;  judges  of  courts;  consuls  to 
Europe;  editors  of  educational  journals,  and  of  other  news 
papers;  brigadier  and  major  generals;  president  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic;  presidents  of  banks;  presidents  and 
professors  of  colleges,  etc.,  etc."  ^  The  most  famous  littera- 
teurs and  college  professors  in  America  have  been  lecturers  at 
Antioch.  Once  that  institution's  fame  was  second  to  that  of 
no  college  in  America. 

LE   GRAND   CHRISTIAN    INSTITUTE 

The  school  at  Le  Grand,  Iowa,  was  passing  through  its 
severest  trials  in  this  period.  School  work  had  been  suspend- 
ed, when  the  new  building  w^as  begun.  Prospects  for  complet- 
ing the  students'  home  were  good  when  building  operations 
began.  Then  funds  failed ;  money  was  borrowed ;  the  building 
was  mortgaged  as  security,  and  later  sold  under  the  sheriff's 
hammer;  nor  were  those  interested  able  to  redeem  it.       ''The 

1  Minutes  of  A.  C.  C.  1894.  *  Antiocliian,  July,  1876. 


OTHER  SCHOOLS  281 

already  heavy  financial  burdens  pressing  hard  upon  the  broth- 
erhood were  made  still  more  intolerable  by  the  storm  of  June, 
1885,  which  removed  the  roof  and  damaged  the  walls  to  some 
extent.  Over  |2,5()0  indebtedness,  with  a  storm-beaten  build- 
ing, was  enough  to  discourage  many  strong  and  faithful  hearts; 
but  there  was  not  a  willingness  to  surrender."  After  this 
calamity  the  property  was  sold  back  to  the  State  Conference. 
Rev.  W.  C.  Smith,  to  whom  many  thanks  are  due,  raised  money 
to  consummate  the  deal  and  restore  the  property.  About  the 
time  Le  Grand  Institute  was  becoming  a  college,  Rev.  Moses 
McDaniel  also  did  heroic  work  as  financial  agent. 

After  the  lapse  of  eleven  school  years  without  Institute 
sessions,  and  when  the  tornado's  dire  work  had  been  largely 
overcome,  and  the  new  edifice  was  sufficiently  completed,  school 
reopened  under  a  new  charter  as  Le  Grand  Christian  College, 
in  September,  1889,  with  Rev.  D.  M.  Helfenstein  as  first 
college  President.  His  skilful  administration  avoided  many 
difficulties,  and  gradually  the  much  needed  equipment  was  got- 
ten together.  Before  the  new  building  was  finally  completed, 
the  old  one  had  been  demolished. 

OTHER   SCHOOLS 

Starkey. — Starkey  Seminary  continued  under  the  succes- 
sive supervision  of  Revs.  Messrs.  O.  F.  Ingoldsby,  W.  J,  Rey- 
nolds, G.  R.  Hammond,  and  A.  H,  Morrill.  Its  constituency 
and  support  were  mostly  local  toward  the  end  of  this  period. 
But  school  work  was  of  a  grade  required  by  the  regents  of  the 
University  of  New  York. 

Union  Christion. — This  College  had  but  two  presidents 
during  these  years.  Rev,  Elisha  Mudge  and  Rev.  L.  J.  Aldrich, 
both  able  men,  tlie  latter  serving  for  a  long  term.  Financial 
difficulties  beset  the  way  and  hampered  the  College  in  its  useful- 
ness and  proper  work. 

Weaiihleau  Chrisitian  College  continued  under  its  founder, 
doing  its  work  without  noise,  but  surely  winning  its  way. 


282  THE  CHEISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

PUBLISHING  INTERESTS 

The  Christian  Publishing  Association. — Debt  clouds  hung 
persistently  over  The  Christian  Publishing  Association ;  and  the 
new  publishing  plant,  occupied  since  1872,  did  not  prove  such 
a  paying  investment  as  was  hoped.  Various  expedients  were 
adopted  to  remedy  matters.  Twice  the  general  Convention 
and  The  rublishing  Association  had  consulted  about  transfer 
of  the  property  to  the  Convention,  but  no  transfer  was  made. 
Instead  the  membership  in  both  bodies  was  made  identical,  a 
device  still  persisting.  Liabilities  amounting  to  nearly  |14,000 
were  reported,  with  assets  nearly  equal.  Such  conditions  were 
clearly  unsatisfactory. 

With  an  identical  membership  for  both  bodies  it  has  been 
found  necessary  to  hold  sessions  at  the  same  time  and  place, 
and  hence  The  Christian  Publishing  Association  has  convened 
once  in  four  years  since  1886.  At  Marion,  Ind.,  sale  of  the 
publishing  plant  was  authorized,  and  within  a  month  the 
premises  were  acquired  by  a  railroad  company  in  Dayton  for 
|22,000,  the  equipment  being  disposed  of  later,  and  the  Asso- 
ciation's business  went  into  rented  quarters. 

Articles  of  incorporation  were  secured  in  1893,  the  third 
article  of  which  reads :  "Third,  the  purpose  for  which  said  cor- 
poration is  formed  is:  The  object  of  this  Association  shall  be 
to  promote  the  union  of  Christians,  and  the  conversion  of  the 
world  by  the  publication  of  books,  tracts,  periodicals,  and  do 
any  other  such  work  as  may  with  propriety  be  done  by  a 
Christian  Publishing  Association."  Rev.  D.  A.  Long 
was  elected  President  of  the  trustees,  and  Rev.  C.  W.  Choate, 
Secretary,  the  latter  being  succeeded  within  a  few  months  by 
Rev.  A.  H.  Morrill.  Prosperity  returned.  Custom  work  was 
courted. 

The  regular  publications  were:  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty; 
Sunday  School  Herald.,  for  boys  and  girls,  weekly  since  1882; 
Glad  Tidings,  later  discontinued;  The  Little  Teacher,  begun  in 


PUBLISHING  INTERESTS  283 

1881 ;  The  Bihlc  Class  Qiiartcrh/  and  Teacher's  Gui'lc,  begun  in 
1870;  and  The  fntcniirdiate  Quartrrhj.  Under  various  names 
and  combinations  these  Sunday-school  supplies  have  been  staple 
j)rodnc-ts  of  the  Association  and  its  chief  sources  of  revenue. 
The  "Christian  Hymnary"  passed  tlirough  several  editions,  and 
was  the  standard  denominational  hymnary  for  many  years. 

In  the  i^outJi. — The  Southern  Christian  Convention  con- 
tinued to  foster  publishing  interests.  Its  chief  support  has 
been  given  to  the  Christian  Sun,  whicli  was  a  private  enter- 
prise during  this  period,  although  receiving  moral  and  finan- 
cial support  of  the  Convention.  Rev.  Messrs.  J.  P.  Barrett, 
W.  T.  Walker  and  W.  G.  Clements  were  editors,  Dr.  Barrett 
for  two  terms.  The  Sun's  constituency  has  increased,  as  have 
its  good  offices  and  influence.  Its  advocacy  of  general  enter- 
prises, notably  the  building  of  Elon  College  and  the  Christian 
Orphanage,  has  been  strong  and  consistent. 

In  Canada. — Periodical  ventures  of  Canadian  brethren  had 
failed  up  to  this  time,  partly  on  account  of  insufficient  support. 
But  nothing  daunted  by  former  experiences,  Rev.  Thomas 
Garbutt,  for  the  Ontario  Christian  Conference,  began  to  issue, 
in  January,  1890,  The  Christian  Magazine,  now  The  Christian 
Vanguard,  a  magazine  of  sixteen  pages  devoted  especially  to 
the  welfare  of  the  Ontario  churches  and  Conference.  Confer- 
ence owns  and  controls  the  publication,  which  still  continues 
its  beneficent  work. 

In  1890  the  American  Christian  Convention  authorized  its 
Secretary,  Rev.  J.  J.  Summerbell  to  issue  a  little  official 
paper  called  the  American  Christian,  and  that  paper  was  begun 
in  1891,  and  published  several  years  with  profit  to  the  general 
cause.  Its  place  has  been  supplied  latterly  by  a  department 
in  the  main  official  organ.^ 

*  Conference  and  private  papers  have  been  quite  numerous ;  but  no  attempt 
has  been  made  to  gather  a  complete  list  of  them. 


284  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATIOlSf 

ORGANIZED    MISSIONS 

The  Missionary  Society  of  the  Christian  Church  had  become 
the  Mission  Department  of  the  Convention  in  1878,  with  Rev. 
J.  P.  Watson  as  Mission  Secretary,  and  the  Society's 
Executive  Board  as  a  Mission  Board  for  both  denomination 
and  department.  Here  begins  effective  organized  missionary 
work  by  the  Christians,  more  than  eighty  years  after  organiza- 
tion of  tlie  denomination  in  Virginia.  During  its  first  six 
months  f  445  came  into  the  Society's  treasury,  and  a  neat  sum 
of  |2,200  tlie  first  year.  Dr.  Watson's  duties  had  been  defined 
chiefly  as  co-operation  with  conferences  in  missionary  work; 
but  immediately  upon  the  Convention  of  1878  he  called  for 
dimes  from  children  for  mission  work,  and  thus  commenced 
what  w^as  afterward  called  ''The  Children's  Mission,"  represent- 
ed by  a  department  in  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty. 

Children's  Mission. — INIoney  was  now  invested  in  home  mis- 
sionaries in  many  fields,  and  reports  of  their  work  were  contin- 
ually kept  before  the  people.  The  plan  "took,"  and  succeeded. 
Rev.  Hugh  Beardshear,  of  Nebraska,  was  first  missionary  of 
the  Children's  Mission,  employed  in  1879.^  In  1S82  Dr.  Watson 
reported  employment  already  of  twenty-two  home  missionaries, 
and  raising  of  $11,595  in  eight  years.  Work  had  been  done  in 
Ontario  and  a  dozen  states.  North  and  South,  ranging  from 
Maine  to  Texas. 

Through  the  Mission  Secretary  the  custom  of  observing 
"Children's  Day"  for  home  missions  was  introduced,  and  from 
1882  to  188G,  five  years,  that  custom  netted  .|5,850.  The 
custom  still  continues,  having  been  formally  adopted  by  Con- 
vention in  1882,  and  the  second  Sunday  in  June  having  been 
designated  as  home  mission  day. 

FRANKLINTON    CHRISTIAN    COLLEGE  " 

Out  of  the  Children's  Mission  grew  another  enterprise 
fraught  with  unforeseen  good,  namely  Franklinton  Literary 

1  Minutes  of  the  A.  C.  C,   1882.  =  Much  of  the  matter  in  this  slsetch 

was  furnished  by  Pres.  H.  E.  Long ;  the  balance  from  many  sources. 


FRANKLINTON  CHRISTIAN  COLLEGE  285 

and  Theological  Institute,  now  known  as  Franklinton  Christian 
Collejie.  located  at  Franklinton,  N.  C,  twenty-seven  miles 
iioiMli  of  Kaleiiili.  In  1S78  Rev.  H.  E.  Long  was  conducting 
a  common  school  for  colored  boys  and  girls,  which  seems  to 
have  suggested  a  possible  larger  work  of  the  same  kind.  Rev. 
(leorge  W.  Dunn,  a  colored  preacher  also,  about  this  time 
entered  into  correspondence  with  Dr.  Watson,  Mission  Secre- 
tary, urging  that  mission  funds  be  employed  for  instructing 
needy  colored  people  and  providing  for  their  education.  In 
response  to  this  appeal  and  the  solicitation  of  Dr.  Watson,  Rev. 
Ceorge  Young,  of  New  York,  went  to  Franklinton  in  1880, 
assuming  charge  of  the  school  already  started  by  Mr.  Long, 
holding  sessions  in  an  old  church  near  the  present  school  build- 
ings. Of  course  the  pupils  gathered  had  very  limited  ability 
to  help  themselves,  and  at  once  the  necessity  of  larger  and 
l)etter  quarters  was  apparent.  J.  E.  Brush,  of  New  York, 
visited  the  school  in  1881  and  became  interested,  and  later  w\as 
its  general  soliciting  agent.  An  appeal  for  funds  brought 
ready  donations,  and  under  supervision  of  Rev.  J.  W.  Wellons, 
a  southern  man,  the  main  building  of  the  Institute  was  erected, 
and  dedicated  with  appropriate  exercises  near  the  dose  of  1882. 
A  chapel  and  eight  rooms  were  constructed  in  this  building, 
which  was  named  ''Brush  Hall,"  after  the  generous  deacon  and 
soliciting  agent.  Already  another  call  for  funds  had  gone  out, 
this  time  for  construction  of  a  dormitory;  and  Mrs.  Emily 
Wilson,  of  Philadelphia,  built  and  furnished  the  dormitory, 
naming  it  "Gaylord  Hall,"  in  memory  of  her  father.  Young 
ladies  have  occupied  the  dormitory  rooms,  and  all  students 
have  boarded  there.  At  her  decease  Mrs,  Wilson  left  the 
Institute  |4.000  by  will,  and  a  like  amount  for  the  Children's 
Mission  and  the  Christian  Biblical  Institute  respectively. 
Later  the  North  Carolina  Conference  (colored)  bought  a  lot 
adjoining  the  Institute  premises,  and  built  a  president's  home; 
but  unfortunately  that  building  was  burned  in  1904  and  has 
not  been  rebuilt. 


286  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

When  the  Mission  Department  of  the  American  Christian 
Convention  was  thoroughly  organized  for  work,  in  1886,  the 
Franklinton  school  was  made  Convention  propert}^  and  placed 
under  a  Board  of  Control.  School  property  and  endowment 
funds  amounted  then  to  about  |10,000.  Rev.  O.  J.  Wait  added 
|1,000  to  the  fund,  and  other  sums  have  swelled  the  total.  A 
perpetual  charter  was  granted  the  school  in  1891,  its  name 
being  changed  to  Franklinton  Christian  College.  From  the 
first  the  College's  success  has  been  pronounced,  and  accommo- 
dations have  been  utterly  inadequate. 

FOREIGN  MISSIONS 

Except  the  effort  for  an  African  mission,  nothing  was 
done  about  foreign  missions  until  early  in  the  eighties.  Alaska 
was  suggested  as  a  mission  field  in  1882,  and  the  next  year  Dr. 
Watson  urged  foreign  missions  through  the  Herald  of  Gospel 
Liberty.  Money  began  to  come  in,  the  first  dollar  being  from 
Isaac  Kay,  M.  D.,  Springfield,  Ohio.  Sums  were  contributed 
along  until  1886,  and  when  Convention  assembled  that  year  the 
amount  of  |1,281.69  was  in  hand.  A  man  had  also  been 
selected  as  missionary. 

Convention  decided  to  open  a  mission  in  Japan,  and  Rev. 
Z.  A.  Poste  was  asked  to  become  missionary,  but  was  compelled 
to  decline.  During  the  presidency  of  Dr.  D.  A.  Long,  at 
Graham  College,  a  sketch  of  which  has  appeared  in  this  volume, 
Rev.  D.  F.  Jones  had  attended  that  institution,  and  had  made 
known  to  the  President  his  missionary  inclination.  Jones 
and  his  wife  had  come  from  England  to  America  not  long  before 
that,  and  Mrs.  Jones's  desire  to  become  a  foreign  missionary 
was  as  strong  as  her  husband's.  Dr.  Long  talked  over  the  mat 
ter  of  a  suitable  field  with  the  member  of  Congress  from  his 
vicinity,  and  found  that  Jones's  nationality  and  Great  Britain's 
influence  would  likely  give  him  a  good  opportunity  in  Japan. 
Dr.  Long  then  communicated  with  Mission  Secretary  Watson 
about  the  Joneses,  with  the  result  that  they  offered  themselves, 


FOREIGN  MISSIONS  287 

were  accepted,  were  j^iveu  a  farewell  at  Irvington,  N.  J.,  sailed 
for  Japan,  reaching  that  country  in  the  spring  of  1887,  and 
located  at  Ishinomaki,  a  quaint  fishing  town  east  of  Sendai,  on 
the  coast.  They  purchased  land  for  a  church  building,  which 
was  dedicated  in  February,  1888.^  Their  first  church  was 
organized  in  Ishinomaki,  and  had  twenty-three  members  at  the 
date  of  dedication.  And  so  at  last  the  Christians  were  really 
planting  gospel  seed  in  the  Orient. 

Missionary  sentiment  was  strong  at  Albany  and  succeed- 
ing quadrennial  conventions.  The  suggestion  of  a  woman's 
missionary  society  with  auxiliaries  was  made  at  Albany,  in 
1882,  and  Dr.  Watson  recommended  the  same  in  188G.  While 
Convention  was  steaming  down  the  bay  from  New  Bedford, 
enjoying  an  excursion,  on  the  boat  ^'Monohansett,"  Rev.  A.  H. 
Morrill,  of  the  Missionary  Committee,  reported  recom- 
mending t«'enty-five  women  to  constitute  a  Woman's  Board  for 
Foreign  Missions.^ 

Woman's  Boards. — Immediately  the  women  organized, 
adopting  a  constitution,  and  choosing  Mrs.  Achsah  E.  Weston 
as  President,  Rev.  Emily  K.  Bishop  as  Vice-President,  Rev. 
Ellen  G.  Gustin  as  Corresponding  Secretary,  Miss  Annie  E. 
Batchelor  as  Recording  Secretary,  and  Mrs.  Elizabeth  D.  Barry 
as  Treasurer.  A  tinge  of  romance  still  clings  to  this  Board  on 
account  of  the  circumstances  of  its  organization.  It  imme- 
diately began  active  work,  and  has  continued  ever  since,  having 
raised  |3.5,000  for  Convention  missions.  One  of  the  first  plans 
was  to  educate  a  medical  missionary,  but  for  some  reason  that 
never  has  been  done. 

The  Mission  Secretary  had  been  urging  conferences  to 
co-operate  with  him  in  foreign   missions    (they  had  already 

'  H.  G.   U,  February  2,  1SS8.  ^Uev.  Ellen  G.  Gustin.  Mrs.   Florence  B. 

Flowfird.  Miss  Clara  E.  Kowell.  Rev.  II.  JAzvAe  Haley.  Mrs.  Annie  E.  T>e\vis.  Rev. 
Emily  K.  Bishop,  Annie  E.  Batchelor,  Mrs.  E.  A.  Couse,  Mrs.  Jennie  Garland, 
Mrs.  .T.  II.  Barnev.  M.  Emma  (Jodlev.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  P.  Barrv,  Rev.  Snrah  E". 
Garwood.  Mrs.  Martha  .T.  Wilcox,  Mrs.  Edith  I».  Gate,  Mrs.  Kate  M.  .Tndy,  Rev. 
Rebecca  Kersbner,  Rev.  .Teannie  .Tones,  Mrs.  Oriella  K.  Iless,  Miss  Maude  Shenk, 
Mrs.  Emma  Rasmussen.  Mrs.  Mattie  P.  Jackson,  Mrs.  Achsah  E.  Weston,  Mrs. 
Nancy  Slack,  Mrs.  Sarah  Shockley. 


288  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

been  doing  that  in  home  missions) ,  and  he  reported  that  four- 
teen conferences  had  responded,  that  fifteen  women  had  been 
chosen  as  mission  secretaries,  and  that  thirty  women's  societies 
had  been  formed,  the  first  being  in  West  Mansfield,  Mass,/  in 
1885,      A  few  juvenile  societies  were  also  reported. 

Marvelous  results,  it  will  be  observed,  have  already  grown 
out  of  the  Children's  Mission.  But  yet  another  agency  was 
needed  to  complete  the  list.  At  Marion,  Ind.,  during  the 
Convention,  thirty  women  met  and  constituted  a  Woman's 
Board  for  Home  Missions.  They  adopted  a  constitution  and 
elected  the  following  officers:  President,  Rev.  Mary  A.  Strick- 
land; Vice-President,  Mrs.  O.  H,  Keller;  Recording  Secretary, 
Miss  C,  Ella  Keifer;  Corresponding  Secretary,  Mrs.  J.  P.  Wat- 
son ;  Treasurer,  Mrs.  D.  A,  Long.^  Immediately  and  ever  since 
the  helpfulness  of  this  Board  has  been  manifest  in  the  denom- 
ination's home  missions. 

Japan  Mission. — Returning  to  the  Japan  mission,  we  find 
Rev,  and  Mrs,  Jones  moving  to  Tokyo,  a  treaty  port,  by  order 
of  the  government,  and  opening  a  preaching  place  in  that  great 
capital.  However,  the  northern  work  was  still  prosecuted  by 
Japanese  pastors  and  workers,  and  supervised  by  the  Joneses, 
who  made  trips  northward  as  necessity  called.  Several  points 
around  Ishinomaki  were  worked,  a  church  was  organized  at 
Ichinoseki,  and  a  Tokyo  church  was  gathered  in  1889,^  At  the 
end  of  four  years  there  were  three  organized  churches  with 
ninety-two  members. 

Additions  to  the  missionary  force  were  made  as  follows : 
Rev.  and  Mrs,  H.  J.  Rhodes  joined  the  mission  in  1889,  but 
returned  to  America  after  about  two  and  a  half  years  of  serv- 
ice; Rev.  and  Mrs.  A.  D.  Woodworth  and  Miss  Christine  Penrod 
were  commissioned  in  1892.  Mr.  Woodworth  was  professor  in 
Union  Christian  College  when  called  to  the  Japan  work.      The 

'  The  Ladies'  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society  of  the  Warren  and  Sussex 
Counties  Christian  Quarterly  Conference,  of  New  Jersey,  was  organized  in  1885. 
There  were  societies  in  Vienna  and  Baleville. — Chris.  Miss.,  August,  1S97. 
'  Minutes  of  the  Convention,  p.  221.  ^  n    G.  L.,  April  24,  1890. 


THE  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONARY  289 

Joneses  resigned  in  ISJKi/  and  went  to  China  in  fulfillment  of 
a  long-cherished  desire,  remaining  in  service  of  the  British 
Bible  Society  until  its  work  was  interrupted  by  the  Boxer 
rebellion.  They  lost  all  their  property,  and  barely  escaped 
with  their  lives.  For  some  time  they  resided  in  San  Francisco, 
hut  soon  Mr.  Jones  went  to  his  work  in  China,  leaving  his 
family  in  America.  Mrs.  Jones,  being  stricken  with  con- 
sumption and  wishing  to  see  her  husband  once  more,  bade  fare- 
well to  her  children  and  crossed  the  ocean  to  Shanghai.  He 
was  inland,  but  proceeded  to  Shanghai  on  learning  of  her  pres- 
ence, only  to  find  that  she  had  passed  away  and  had  been  buried 
in  the  soil  of  China. 

Rev.  E.  C.  Fry  quit  his  pastorate  in  Woodstock,  Vt.,  in 
1894.  and  went  to  Japan,  leaving  his  then  infant  daughter 
with  loving  friends  near  the  old  Rhode  Island  home.  Miss 
Susie  V.  Gullett,  sometime  lady  principal  at  Union  Christian 
College,  volunteered  for  Japan  and  went  in  1894. 

The  Japan  mission's  first  convert  was  a  youth  named 
Toshio  Ohta,  talented  and  versatile,  who  became  a  very  skilful 
interpreter.  Seichi  Watanabe  was  the  first  ordained  pastor. 
Changes  in  personnel  of  the  Japanese  working  force  have  been 
almost  kaleidoscopic,  and  cannot  be  followed  here. 

The  little  church  and  wee  little  parsonage  beside  it  in 
Ishinomaki  cost  $125  gold.  The  next  church  property  secured 
was  in  Oji,  1894,  costing  .fl80  for  a  site  and  $650  for  building. 
Just  as  the  denomination  rounded  its  hundredth  milestone. 
Endeavor  Societies  outside  of  New  England  were  gathering 
funds  for  a  church  building  in  the  Japanese  capital.' 

THE  CHRISTIAN  MISSIONARY 

^lissionary  propagandism  was  conducted  through  existing 
denominational  periodicals,  until  1894.  The  Convention  of 
1890  had  authorized  establishment  of  a  missionary  magazine; 

UI.  G.   L..   November  22.   1804.  =  The  New  England   Endeavorers   have 

always  contributed  toward  support  of  a  missionary. 


290  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

but  way  did  not  open  for  it  until  the  fall  of  1894,  when,  in 
October,  Mission  Secretary  J.  G.  Bishop  issued  a  sixteen-page 
magazine  devoted  to  the  denomination's  home  and  foreign  mis- 
sions. It  at  once  received  adoption  by  the  people  and  Mission 
Board,  and  has  since  continued.  Dr.  Bishop  mada  the  maga- 
zine indispensable,  filling  it  with  a  surprisingly  varied  and 
interesting  class  of  missionary  matter,  which  came  to  a  hungry 
constituency  like  palatable  food.  The  Mission  Secretary  was 
both  editor  and  publisher.  His  early  efforts  were  attended  by 
many  vexations,  but  perseverance  and  toil  won  success. 

When  the  first  world's  missionary  congress  was  held  in 
London,  in  1888,  Rev.  N.  Summerbell  was  delegate,  and 
thus  the  denominational  missionary  enterprise  became  linked 
with  the  great  world  of  missions. 

RETROSPECT  OP  ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS 

A  hundred  years!  Looking  back  over  the  path  traveled 
from  1794  to  1894  we  have  noted  very  remarkable  consequences 
following  apparently  insignificant  causes.  Impulse  was 
received  and  a  movement  created  which  has  reached  tens  of 
thousands  of  hearts  and  lives.  The  cry  for  religious  liberty 
and  freedom  of  conscience  has  re-echoed  powerfully.  A  few 
individuals  in  the  erstwhile  priest-ridden  South,  the  dogma- 
bound  states  of  New  England,  and  the  largely  irreligious  West 
asserted  the  integrity  of  conscience  and  its  superiority  to 
dogma,  and  abjured  forever  the  rule  of  ecclesiasticism.  Soon 
they  were  disfellowshiped  and  driven  to  one  another  for  mutual 
comfort  and  spiritual  assistance.  The  logic  of  events  threw 
them  out  of  joint  with  existing  denominations.  Freedom  of 
thought  cast  doubt  upon  their  moral  integrity,  and  defense  of 
their  tenets  branded  them  as  heretics.  These  few  men  suffered 
malicious  slander  and  persecution,  social  disabilit;\'  and  loss  of 
esteem.  But  by  degrees  their  position  became  that  of  reformers, 
propagandists,  itinerant  venders  of  a  homely  gospel;   icono- 


RETROSPECT  OF  ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS        291 

(•lasts  that  stnick  at  clnn'cli  dcMiii-ijods  and  hierarchies  and 
diMiiolished  a  deal  else  that  iiiij!,]it  have  been  spared. 

They  traveled  from  place  to  place,  with  exuberant  joy 
proclaiming:  their  liberty  and  a  gospel  that  ^Tipped  the  masses 
among  whom  they  moved.  Great  revivals  followed,  whole 
comnnmities  were  touched,  converts  flocked  to  the  new  stand- 
ard, and  yet  more  to  old  communions,  to  live  transformed  lives. 
For  spiritual  safety  and  fellowship  they  were  forced  to  organize 
churches  and  ordain  ])reachers.  A  new  denomination  was  not 
planned,  w\is  not  sought.  So  simple  minded  were  those  early 
leaders  and  their  converts  that  they  were  content  to  be  simply 
Christians,  unadorned  with  other  sectarian  names,  and  still 
hoped  to  find  liberty  in  existing  denominations.  Bootless 
hope,  doomed  to  disappointment! 

Wolves  crept  into  the  flocks  and  tore  the  sheep.  Still 
more  radical  and  subversive  doctrines  than  their  own  found 
espousal  among  the  Christians.  Protection  must  bo  provided, 
ministers  must  be  accredited ;  and  conferences  were  organized, 
rudimentary,  often  ephemeral,  whose  minutes  were  shorn  of 
every  sentiment  or  statement  that  might  be  distorted  into  creed 
or  saddled  upon  men  as  trammels  or  leashes.  Even  conference 
officers  died  officially  when  the  session  adjourned.  When 
necessity  compelled  closer  organization  for  self-preservation, 
men  sounded  warning  and  predicted  a  new  tyranny  and  inqui- 
sition. Chaos  stood  ready  to  envelop  all.  Could  this  inchoate 
mass  be  fused  into  form?  Why  not  try?  A  general  meeting 
was  called  to  unify  conferences  and  give  counsel,  sparsely 
attended,  yet  a  harbinger  of  hope,  a  source  of  inspiration,  a 
clearing-house  of  ideas.  It  dubbed  itself  a  "General  Confer- 
ence." On  successive  years  it  met  and  delivered  itself;  then 
it  died.  No;  animation  was  suspended,  the  General  Confer- 
ence was  revived  and  has  grown  stronger  for  nearly  ninety- 
two  years. 

Meantime  the  Christians  spread  all  over  New  England, 
into  New  Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia,  Quebec,  Ontario,  into  every 


292  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

state  and  territory  east  of  the  Mississippi,  into  Missouri, 
Arkansas,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  and  Texas.  As  a  revival 
campaign  the  Christians'  movement  was  superlative. 

And  then  the  future  ministry :  where  should  it  be  grounded 
in  the  principles  of  the  denomination?  Surely  not  in  existing 
sectarian  schools.  Congenial  schools  of  the  prophets  must  be 
established.  Some  cried,  "Stop !  We  want  no  sectarian  dille- 
tante  ministry,  no  imitation  of  them !"  Others  said,  "We  must 
have  schools,  but  they  need  not  be  theological.  Make  them 
academies  and  high  schools  and  colleges;  for  we  must  have 
education."  A  third  voice  called  attention  to  the  marvelous 
success  attending  a  ministry  raised  among  the  common  people. 
Always  a  few,  stalwart  seers,  men  of  first-class  training,  saw 
the  true  bearing  of  education  upon  a  movement  destined  to  play 
an  honorable  part  in  ushering  in  larger  fraternity.  Ignorance 
could  beget  only  bigotry;  intelligence  was  kin  to  brotherhood 
and  tolerance.  An  educational  revival  resulted,  first  provo- 
cative of  secondary  schools,  and  then  of  early  disastrous 
attempts  at  college  building.  Experience  was  costly,  and  not 
immediately  effective.  But  from  the  days  of  x\ntioch  onward 
the  Christians  have  planted  and  nourished,  scantily  indeed, 
their  several  colleges,  until  they  are  maturing  and  outgrowing 
their  infantile  diseases.  And  with  the  rest  came  a  theological 
school ! 

Only  heroic  itinerancy  has  surpassed  journalism  in  build- 
ing the  Christian  denomination.  From  the  founding  of  the 
earliest  religious  newspaper  in  the  world  forward  a  horde  of 
journals,  lesser  and  greater,  have  sprung  into  existence  in  the 
denomination,  many  of  them  doomed  to  the  capacious  maw  of 
Elias  Smith's  Herald  of  Gospel  Libert i/.  That  journal  has 
outlived  animosities,  overcome  poverty,  temporized  with  cred- 
itors, traveled  from  city  to  city,  with  hardly  an  interruption 
of  its  weekly  issue.  For  longevity  it  is  unapproached  in  the 
brotherhood,  the  southern  organ  being  its  nearest  rival.  But 
the  Christians  have  always  used  printer's  ink  in  large  quanti- 


RETROSPECT  OF  ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS        293 

ties,  and   have  tried  all   maimer  of  publishing  suitable  to  a 
religious  cause,  with  enormous  benefit. 

The  old  word  ''itinerant"  is  now  completely  displaced  by 
other  more  euphonious  terms;  but  the  home  missionary  of  those 
formative  days  was  a  veritable  traveler,  who  experienced  all 
the  discomforts  and  liardshii)s  of  pioneer  and  border-civiliza- 
tion life.  He  usually  had  home  and  family,  and  the  wonder  is, 
not  how  he  survived,  but  how  his  family  eked  out  an  existence. 
The  initial  impulse  that  spread  the  Christians'  movement  all 
over  eastern  America  had  not  spent  itself.  The  bow  had 
spring,  and  the  bow-string  had  twang,  as  these  arrows  of  evan- 
gelistic flame  were  shot  out  to  kindle  spiritual  life.  lUit  new 
times  were  dawning,  and  people  began  to  exhibit  conscience 
about  the  home  missionary's  lot  and  impecuniosit}'.  Alongside 
spontaneous  gospel  proclamation  began  to  run  studied  subsi- 
dized efforts.  Home  mission  societies  were  organized  every- 
where, men  were  sent  and  given  meager  doles  for  preaching  the 
undying  truth.  The  aggregate  of  that  work  and  expenditure 
was  large,  and  its  results  still  abide.  Eventually  a  centralized 
missionary  agency  supplemented  the  conferences. 

About  forty  years  of  home  missions  and  over  three-quar- 
ters of  the  eighteenth  century  had  gone  before  the  denomination 
ventured  abroad  to  undertake  a  foreign  mission.  Japan  was 
then  voracious  for  western  things,  and  missionary  progress 
was  rai)id  beyond  hope;  and  Japan  was  chosen  as  a  field  for 
foreign  work. 

General  organization  was  capi)ed  by  state  and  sectional 
conferences  and  associations,  professedly  brought  into  existence 
to  play  father  and  elder  brother  to  enterprises  and  missions 
needing  aid  and  direction.  With  wider  vision  and  i*esources 
multiplied,  those  state  organizations  have  planted  churches  in 
larger  centers  and  cities  for  strategic  purposes. 

The  Christians  have  been  an  international  body  since  their 
preachers  founded  churches  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  about 
the  time  of  the  War  of  1812.      The  chasms  caused  by  Civil  War 


294  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

have  been  closed  up ;  and  when  1894  marked  her  first  hundred 
years,  the  Christian  Church  could  boast  of  eleven  hundred 
ministers,  about  the  same  number  of  churches,  and  a  member- 
ship of  perhaps  a  little  more  than  one  hundred  thousand 
members,  with  the  usual  denominational  machinery  and  insti- 
tutions, educational,  missionary,  publishing,  and  others. 

To  many  readers  these  results  will  seem  incommensurate 
with  a  century  of  time  and  effort  expended.  They  do  not 
compare  with  what  other  denominations  have  done  and  become. 
But  let  readers  remember  that  the  Christians  have  ever  sought 
to  further  a  cause  and  propagate  a  principle,  rather  than  build 
a  denomination  or  weld  it  into  a  sect.  Perhaps  the  cause  has 
thriven  better  while  the  denomination  grew  slowly.  And  upon 
the  whole  the  Christians  have  been  content  to  decrease  if 
Christian  liberty  might  increase.  Even  the  most  sanguine 
prophet  among  them  during  any  decade  could  hardly  have 
dreamed  what  liberty  and  brotherhood  the  close  of  the  denom- 
ination's first  century  would  witness.  Not  that  the  denomina- 
tion has  contributed  a  lion's  share  to  the  change;  but  it  has 
done  nobly. 

Well  might  the  year  1894  have  been  celebrated  with  joy 
and  acclaimed  throughout  the  brotherhood.  But  alas !  it 
passed  with  chilling  indifference,  except  in  the  quadrennial 
convention  of  that  year  and  in  the  South,  where  the  centennial 
was  observed  among  the  churches  and  by  a  centennial  edition 
of  the  Christian  Sun. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  XIII 

Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  Vol.  LXX-LXXXVI, 

Minutes  of  the  American  Christian  Convention,  1878-1894, 

Catalogues  of  the  Various  Schools  and  Colleges. 

Early  volumes  of  the  Christian  Missionary,  beginning  with  1895. 

Special  Articles  furnished  by  Request, 

Centennial  of  Religious  Journalism,  edited  by  J.  P.  Eari-ett.  D.  D. 


CHAPTER  XIV 


CHAPTER  XIV 

Union  and  Disunion 

SO  OFTEN  has  the  "union''  question  cropped  out  in  the 
history  of  the  Christians  that  no  colierent  account  can  be 
given  except  by  exclusive  handling  of  that  subject,  and 
we  devote  a  chapter  to  it. 

Union — a  subject  for  gi'andiloquent  oratory,  well-rounded 
periods;  a  subject  for  misunderstanding  and  debate;  another 
sunken  rock  upon  which  the  denominational  ship  has  sometimes 
nearly  split;  an  uncharted  sea  to  be  exploi-ed  by  hardy  mari- 
ners, but  not  to  be  traversed  with  full  sail  and  spumy  prow. 
And  yet  union,  real  and  true,  is  the  most  desirable  state  one 
could  wish  for  the  church. 

The  Christians  themselves  have  not  understood  or  inter- 
preted their  union  principle  or  position  uniformly,  nor  have 
they  practiced  it  uniformly.  To  some  it  has  meant  co-opera- 
tion, to  others  federation,  to  a  third  party  amalgamation  of 
denominations,  to  a  fourth  party  a  less  tangible  but  real  spirit 
of  unity  and  brotherhood  that  sinks  differences  and  levels 
divisions,  allowing  people  to  mingle  as  two  drops  of  water  do 
when  in  contact.  Often  it  has  been  called  "Christian  union" 
to  denote  this  spiritual  aspect.  With  such  divergent  inter- 
pretations, naturally  the  Christians  have  wrangled  among 
themselves  about  union.  But,  speaking  generally,  they  have 
consistently  cultivated  and  manifested  a  Christian  spirit  and 
fellowship  for  Christians  of  all  denominations,  insisting  that 
they  were  Christians  only  who  showed  a  Christian  character. 
Such  have  found  welcome  fellowship  among  them. 

Early  leaders  of  the  Christians  advocated  union,  and  prob- 
ably Barton  W.  Stone  was  the  greatest  apostle  of  that  doctrine. 
Whether  one  reads  his  autobiography,  or  his  apology,  or  his 


298  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

sermons,  or  editorials  in  his  Christian  Messenger,  he  must 
continually  encounter  the  subject  of  union.  Stone's  propa- 
gandism  served  to  keep  that  subject  perennially  before  the 
denomination,  causing  him  to  be  grossly  misunderstood  and 
severely  criticised;  and  the  denomination  suffered  inestimable 
damage  in  several  respects.  Had  not  several  men  of  great 
influence  stemmed  the  tide,  history  might  be  considerably 
different. 

Reading  Stone's  teaching,  one  will  often  find  about  it  a 
penumbra  of  intangibility,  a  sort  of  theoretical  impracticabil 
ity.  He  certainly  did  not  advocate  amalgamation  or  denom- 
inational union  by  legislation ;  but  he  branded  the  sin  of 
sectarianism,  and  preached  the  duty  of  abolishing  divisive 
names  and  polities  and  doctrines  among  Christians,  and  culti- 
vating the  spirit  of  harmony  and  co-operation.  He  believed 
that  the  Christians  had  reduced  the  grounds  of  fellowship  to 
their  lowest  terms,  and  that  real  practical  union  would  ensue 
whenever  those  terms  were  met.  When  Christian  i)eople  throw 
awaj"  party  names,  like  Baptist,  Methodist,  Lutheran,  and 
others,  and  rest  content  to  be  simply  Christians ;  when  they 
cease  to  talk  dogma  in  theological  phraseology,  and  instead 
talk  Scriptural  teaching  in  Scriptural  language;  when  they 
admit  people  to  church  membership  on  grounds  of  Christlike 
character ;  then  they  will  naturally  flow  together  and  union  will 
follow,  because  they  have  become  like  each  other,  with  nothing 
to  hold  them  apart.  Hence  the  Christians  have  insisted  that 
they  desired  something  behind  co-operation  and  federation 
and  fusing  of  sects,  and  those  phases  of  fraternity  have  failed 
to  greatly  interest  them. 

There  has  been  union  courtship  between  the  Christians  on 
one  hand,  and  Free  Will  Baptists,  General  Baptists,  Disciples 
of  Christ,  Unitarians,  Christian  Union  and  Congregationalists 
on  the  other.  One  might  charge  the  parties  with  coquetry, 
did  he  not  discover  earnestness  and  desire  to  promote  true 
Christian  fraternity. 


WITH  FREE  WILL  BAPTISTS  299 

WITH    FREE    WILL    BAPTISTS 

The  Free  Will  Baptists  arose  contemporaneously  with  the 
Christians  in  New  England,  and  strove  for  almost  the  same 
things.  In  New  Hampshire  they  intermixed  in  revival  work, 
in  conferences,  in  ordinations,  yet  each  retained  his  chosen 
affiliation.  And  Smith  and  Jones  and  Mark  Fernald  and 
other  men  frequented  Free  Baptist  gatherings  and  shared  in 
the  service.^  Printed  reports  of  those  early  meetings  do  not 
distinguish  between  Free  Baptist  preachers  and  others.^  Those 
delightful  associations  were  mentioned  frequently  as  examples 
of  Christian  union.  What  was  so  common  in  New  England 
then  was  characteristic  later  and  in  other  sections,  as  both 
Christians  and  Free  Baptists  spread.  Naturally  union  between 
the  two  bodies  was  often  broached.  In  1818  the}'  v.ere  making 
overtures  in  northern  New  England ;  but  effected  nothing  except 
co-operation.^  Probably  the  subject  of  baptism  was  in  the 
way,  as  elsewhere. 

Two  years  later  a  conference  was  called  at  Covington,  New 
York,  ''striving  for  a  union  between  the  two  peoples."  An 
agreement  was  reached  by  which  the  united  body  should  be 
called  "The  (Jhurches  of  God,"  (and  the  New  York  Western 
Conference  contended  that  the  name  had  Scriptural  sanction,) 
they  should  have  exchange  of  pulpits  or  ministers,  and  labor 
in  harmony.  Each  denomination  had  its  protagonist  to  lead 
in  the  discussion,*  And  jet  nothing  came  of  the  conference. 
It  did  not  meet  general  apyjroval,  and  matters  of  polity  and 
doctrine  obtruded  themselves  like  awkward  elbows.  Immer- 
sion and  the  character  of  God  and  Christ  were  debated  points 

Again,  in  1823,  ]\Iark  Fernald,  as  messenger  of  the  United 
States  Christian  General  Conference,  visited  the  Free  Baptist 
Yearly  fleeting  of  his  vicinity  and  asked  whetlier  the  Free 
Baptists  would  co-operate  in  ordinations,  baptism,  and  brcak- 

^  Fernald,    p.    55.        The   fraternization    was    reciprocal.        Se^    Chris.    Her., 
Vol.   II,  p.   120.  -A  Relij^ious  Magazine,  Free  Baptist,  Nos.    I-VIII,  passim. 

3H.  G.   L.,  Vol.   I,   p.   200.  ^  Chris.   Her.,    Vol.    II,   p.   107;   Badger,   p.    218; 

Records  New  York  Western  Conference,   1820. 


300  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

ing  of  bread.^  He  did  not  find  ready  agreement,  except  upon 
the  part  of  a  few,  and  negotiations  ceased. 

The  same  question  arose  in  the  South,  before  the  War,  and 
we  find  the  North  Carolina  and  Virginia  Conference  appointing 
a'  committee,  about  1859,  to  correspond  with  the  Cape  Fear 
Free  Will  Baptist  Association  about  union.  -  But  union  with 
the  Free  Baptists  was  still  far  away. 

And  yet  the  courting  continued.  A  climax  was  again 
reached  about  1885,  when  a  conference  between  Free  Baptists 
and  Christians  was  held  in  Boston,  with  fifty-six  preachers  in 
attendance.^  A  committee  of  eighteen  was  apjjointed,  which 
met  subsequently  in  New  York  and  formulated  the  ''New  York 
basis,"  in  substance  this :  The  Bible  the  only  rule  of  faith  and 
practice;  Christian  character  the  only  test  of  fellowship;  inde- 
pendence and  autonomy  of  each  local  church ;  union  in  work 
and  worship,  without  controversy ;  covenant  to  labor  and  pray 
for  ultimate  amalgamation  of  the  two  bodies.  It  was  proposed 
to  unite  in  the  already  well  established  foreign  missions  of  the 
Free  Baptists.  The  New  England  Christian  Convention  and 
New  York  State  Association  of  Christians  adopted  the  ''New 
York  basis,"  (as  did  some  Free  Baptist  Yearly  Meetings,)  which 
was  submitted  to  the  Free  Baptist  General  Conference  in 
1886.*  The  American  Christian  Convention  of  1886  was 
strongly  urged  in  the  president's  address  to  consummate  union. 
The  Convention  approved  the  work  of  the  Committee  of 
Eighteen  and  a  continued  effort  to  perfect  union  of  both  bodies 
on  the  designated  basis.  A  committee  of  five  was  instructed 
to  confer  with  all  parties  desiring  Christian  union ;  to  act  as 
fraternal  messengers  to  the  General  Conference  of  Free  Bap- 
tists, Southern  Christian  Convention,  and  other  bodies.  Rep- 
resentatives of  Free  Baptists  attended  the  American  Christian 
Convention  to  speak  in  behalf  of  their  people.  Delegates  from 
the  American  Christian  Convention  went  to  Marion,  Ohio,  to 

ipernald,    p.    173.  =  Kernodle,    p.    300.  'Records    A.    C.    C,    1886. 

H.  G.  L.,  January  6,  1887. 


I 


WITH  FREE  WILL  BAPTISTS  301 

express  hope  of  consummatin<;  union.  But  the  Free  Baptists 
did  not  consummate  denominational  union/  They  voted:  "We 
are  ready  to  join  in  organic  union  with  such  Christians  as  may 
so  far  agree  with  us  in  doctrine  and  usage  as  to  give  assurance 
of  continued  harmony  and  peaceful  relation  in  Christian 
work."  - 

In  188G  the  Free  Baptist  State  Convention  of 'New  York 
refused  to  endorse  the  basis  formed  by  a  Yearly  Meeting  at 
^liddlesex,  and  the  three  Christian  Conferences  of  New  York 
thereafter  felt  less  interest  in  union.^  However,  the  State 
Christian  Association  sent  a  committee  to  Bufifalo  early  in  1887 
to  meet  and  arrange  union  with  trustees  of  the  Free  Baptist 
Central  Association.  Things  went  swimmingly.  The  so- 
called  'Thoenix  basis"  and  "Stanfordville  basis"  were  adopted, 
a  constitution  was  arranged  and  adopted,  and  consolidation 
was  recommended  immediately.*  The  territory  embraced  was 
New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  and  Ontario.  But  alas 
for  human  plans !  It  was  discovered  that  the  Christian 
denomination  was  in  danger  of  dismemberment:  its  official 
organ  said  some  caustic  things;  the  Committee  of  Five  of  the 
American  Christian  Convention  complained  of  being  ignored; 
the  Morning  Star,  of  Boston,  called  the  Christians  "a  nebulous 
body,"  and  discouraged  union.'^ 

Another  snag  was  struck  when  merging  of  educational 
interests  was  considered.  It  was  proposed  to  make  Starkey 
Seminary,  on  Seneca  Lake,  a  nucleus  for  a  large  institution. 
But  financial  inducements  were  not  sufficient,  and  some  objec- 
tions were  urged  against  the  location.  Eventually  the  Free 
Baptists  located  on  Keuka  Lake  near  Penn  Yan.  Both  denom- 
inations felt  their  position  a  minimum  with  nothing  to  surren- 
der; and  so,  in  spite  of  the  Buffalo  meeting,  no  consolidation 
occurred,  co-operation  gradually  ceased,  and  union  remained  -i 
dream.      During  this  courtship  committee  meetings  or  conven- 

UI.  G.   L.,  .January  6.  1887.  Mbid.,  April  21.  1887.  'Ibid..  March 

10.  1887.  *  Ibid.,  January  20,  1887.  « Ibid.,  March  31.  1887. 


302  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

tions  were  held  at  Boston,  Fall  River,  New  York,  Middlesex, 
Phoenix.  Buffalo,  Whitestown,  Oneonta,  and  perhaps  other 
places.^ 

A  union  convention  of  the  Connecticut  and  Rhode  Island 
Association  of  Free  Baptists,  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts 
General  Six  Principle  Baptists,  Rhode  Island  Association  of 
Free  Baptists,  and  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  Christian 
Conference  was  held  early  in  1887,  in  New  England,  in  the 
interests  of  union  and  closer  fellowship ;  but  nothing  developed 
worthy  of  note.^ 

A  union  involving  Free  Baptists,  Christians,  Disciples,  and 
Church  of  God  arose  out  of  a  ministerial  association  in  Phila- 
delphia, and  touched  the  cluster  of  churches  of  those  commun- 
ions around  the  city.  The  local  organizations  called  them- 
selves ''United  Christian  Churches,"  and  the  whole  group 
constituted  "The  Philadelphia  Conference  of  Christian 
Churches."  In  the  city  ten  churches  were  numbered  from  one 
to  ten,  and  were  known  as  First  or  Second  United  Christian 
Church,  and  so  on.  This  was  really  a  co-operation  or  federa- 
tion, and  probably  hastened  the  demise  of  some  churches.^  It 
was  stated  that  the  Free  Baptist  people  arranged  to  leave  their 
property  to  the  Christian  Conference  if  they  lost  organic  life 
by  any  misfortune.* 

WITH    THE   DISCIPLES 

This  union  agitation  began  in  eastern  Ohio  in  1827.  When 
the  followers  of  Alexander  Campbell  became  numerous  in  Ken- 
tucky, and  Campbell  and  Stone  had  measured  each  other's 
positions,  Stone  began  to  urge  union  with  the  Disciples  of 
Christ  (the  name  which  Campbell  had  selected  for  his  follow- 
ers). It  was  objected  that  Campbell's  doctrine  of  baptism 
differed  from  that  of  the  Christians,  and  that  he  denied  the 

1 H.    G.    L.,    March    24,    November    17.    1887.  =  Ibid.,    M.ircb    10.    1887. 

2  Ibid.,  Mfirch  24,   1887.  -i  The  Free  Baptists  were  formally  united  in   some 

ph.ises  of  work  with  the  Baptists,  October  5,  1911.  Probably  there  will  be  no 
more  courting  between  them  and  the  Christians. 


\Y1TH  THE  DISCIPLES  303 

work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  in  roj];eneration.  Stone  admitted 
differences,  but  insisted  that  they  were  not  such  as  to  preclude 
union,  since  in  other  respects  Disciples  and  Christians  thor- 
oughly agreed.  Upon  one  point  Stone  would  not  yield  one 
inc*h:  he  would  not  allow  his  brethren  to  surrender  the  name 
"Christian"  as  a  denominational  title,  and  used  all  his  powers 
of  persuasion  to  have  the  Disciples  content  themselves  with 
that  name.  A  public  meeting  was  held  at  Lexington,  Ken- 
tucky, in  1832,  at  which  both  Disciples  and  Christians  agreed 
to  leave  aside  their  differences  and  to  act  as  one.  Neither 
party  abandoned  its  position ;  neither  party  joined  the  other. 
They  simply  met  and  threw  down  the  fence  and  mingled  as 
brethren,  without  question  as  to  which  had  gone  over  to  the 
other.  So  said  John  Rogers.  Stone  took  Rev.  J.  T.  Johnson, 
a  Disciple,  as  co-editor  of  the  Christian  Messenger;  by  his 
influence  many  Disciple  churches  called  themselves  ''Chris- 
tians" only;  and  from  both  parties  evangelists  were  sent  to 
travel  together  in  the  name  of  and  for  the  united  cause,  which 
rapidly  increased. 

Alex.  Campbell  seems  not  to  have  actually  shared  in  this 
union  movement,  but  was  represented  by  J.  T.  Johnson,  John 
Smith  and  others.^  His  aim  and  convictions  were  tending 
otherwise;  and  ere  long  the  Disciples  began  to  assert  their 
peculiarities  and  persuade  the  Christians  to  fall  in  therewith. 
For    one    thing    the    Christians    began    to    immerse    for    the 

1  ITobablv  Campbell  did  not  even  favor  the  union.  The  Christian  Messenger 
for  November  1831  quotes  an  editorial  from  the  Millennial  Harbinger  (Camp- 
beirsp\n^r)  as  follows:  '-Qr  does  he  [Stone]  think  that  one. or  two  individuals, 
of  nml  for  themselves  should  propose  and  effect  a  formal  union  among  the  hun- 
dreds of  con^re-aro^^^  over  this  continent,  called  Christians  or  Dlsci- 
Xs  without"  calUng  upon  the  different  congregations  to  express  an  opinion  or 
n  wisiriiDon  the  subiect?"  "We  discover,  or  think  we  discover,  a  squinting  at 
some  sort  of  precedency  or  priority  in  the  claims  of  the  writer  of  the  above 
article  '"  etc        P.  242. 

cimnbell  ilso  insisted  upon  immersion  before  believers  were  received  into 
fPllow;h  ito  which  Stone  answered;  "We  cannot,  with  our  present  views,  unite 
on  ?he  o  inion  1  at  nnimmersed  persons  cannot  receive  remissions  of. sins,'  and 
hence  he  di^d  not  make   immersion  a   condition   to  church   membership.        Ibid.. 

D    ''45 

r-'ininhPil  bv  Strange  argument,  denied  that  chremntizo  means  to  name 
or  ca^lbf  divine  appoln-tmenf:  wherefore  the  n,^e  "Christians"  is  no  better 
than  "Disciples,"  or  other  names.       Ibid.,  p.  24b. 


304  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

remission  of  sins.^  Stone's  attention  was  called  to  the  trans- 
formation, but  he  persisted  that  he  believed  in  Campbell's 
sincerity,  and  that  reason  did  not  exist  for  his  retreat. 

When  Stone  went  to  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  to  live,  he  found 
there  both  Christians  and  Disciples,  each  bidding  for  his  sup- 
port. He  declined  to  join  either  until  they  should  unite, 
dropping  all  party  names,  and  becoming  ^'Christians."  His 
influence  was  strong  and  his  counsel  prevailed.  This  was 
about  1834.^  Then  followed  a  wave  of  ''Campbellism"  that 
swept  the  Christians  off'  their  feet,  and  aggregated  about  eight 
thousand  accessions  to  the  Disciples.  No  Christian  Churches 
long  survived  in  Tennessee,  their  cause  was  ruined  in  Kentucky 
and  never  has  regained  its  former  strength  or  prestige.  Of 
the  Southern  Ohio  Christians  a  majority  of  the  preachers 
embraced  "Campbellism"  prior  to  1837,  and  only  about  one 
thousand  church  members  remained.''  A  man  named  C.  A, 
Eastman,  traveling  through  Indiana  about  1846,  reported  *  that, 
"In  many  places  they  [the  Christians]  have  amalgamated  with 
the  Disciples,  and  are  known  only  as  the  same  people."  Several 
years  later  it  was  reported  ^  that  on  Stone's  account  conferences 
of  the  Christians  had  been  dissolved  and  churches  disbanded, 
and  the  people  had  become  amalgamated  with  the  Disciples. 

Stone  asserted  that  lie  had  not  abandoned  the  Christians 
or  joined  the  Disciples.  His  influence  and  efforts  worked 
three  ways:  they  helped  to  confirm  the  position  of  both  Disci- 
ples of  Christ  and  Christians  on  "Christian  union ;"  they 
divided  the  Christians;  they  began  endless  confusion  of 
Disciples  with  Christians.  If  the  Disciples  of  Christ  in 
various  places  call  their  churches  "Christian  Churches,"  and 
themselves  "Christians"  only,  and  gain  adherents  from  the  "old 
Christians;"  if  for  years  they  were  given  credit  in  the  United 

'  stone  and  others  came  to  believe  in  baptism  for  remission  of  sins  ;  but  as 
stated  in  preceding  note,  he  did  not  make  it  a  test  of  fellowship.  Chris.  Mess., 
Nov.,  1831.  p.  252.  See  letter  of  J.  P.  .Andrew,  of  Cincinnati,  avowing  belief 
in  such  baptism.        Ibid.,  February,  1831,  p.  46.  =  Stone,  p.  79.  ^  Chris. 

Pall.,  Vol.  VI,  p,  203.  <  Ibid.,  Vol.  XV,  p.  302.  =  Ibid.,  Vol.  VIII.  p.  283, 


WITH  THE  DISCIPLES  305 

States  census  for  the  Christians ;  and  if  in  the  country  at  large 
most  people  know  no  distinction  between  the  bodies:  Barton 
W.  Stone  is  laruely  to  blame.  Very  naturally  Disciple  his- 
torians are  claiming  Stone  and  some  of  his  co-laborers. 

At  the  New  York  Christian  Missionary  Convention,  a  gath- 
ering of  the  Disciples  of  Christ,  held  at  Tully,  N.  Y..  in  Sep- 
tember, 1S73,  resolutions  were  introduced  in  response  to  an 
expressed  desire  of  ''different  brethren  of  the  religious  body 
known  as  'The  Christian  Connection,'  "  creating  a  <ommittee  of 
five  from  the  Disciples  of  Christ  to  visit  the  New  Y'ork  State 
Christian  Association,  a  few  days  later,  ''to  express  Christian 
sympathy,  extend  our  Christian  greeting,  and  make  known  our 
desire  to  cultivate  fraternal  relations  with  them."  Two  com- 
mitteemen discharged  the  duty  contemplated.  The  Association 
responded  by  choosing  a  committee  of  five  to  confer  with  the 
committee  from  the  Disciples,  "to  seek,  in  the  love  of  the  Lord, 
for  some  basis  of  union  in  Christian  work."  Both  committees 
met  at  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  April  21,  1874,  and  after  due  consulta- 
tion signed  a  report  recommending  that  Christians  and  Disci- 
ples cultivate  each  other's  acquaintance,  exchange  pulpits, 
attend  each  other's  conferences,  associations,  and  missionary 
conventions,  in  hopes  that  eventually  a  common  ground  of  union 
might  be  found.  Rev.  Messrs.  I.  C.  Tryon,  B.  F.  Summerbell, 
E.  R.  Wade,  Latham  Coffin  and  S.  B.  Bowdish  signed  for  the 
Christians,  together  with  Rev.  I.  C.  Goff  and  Rev.  ^fartyn 
Summerbell,  who  were  present  as  interested  spectators.  Re- 
ports were  submitted  to  each  body  concerned ;  but  almost  no 
further  results  are  chronicled.^ 

We  have  already  detailed  the  rise  of  "Campbellism"  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  also  exj)lainod  how  several  Christian  con- 
ferences came  into  existence  in  that  state.  In  northern  central 
Pennsylvania  a  considerable  membership  of  Christians  was 
reported  after  the  War.  Conferences  also  existed  in  south- 
western and  northwestern  Pennsylvania,  the  former  including 

iH.  G.  L..  May  30,  1874. 


306  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

territory  where  the  Campbells  met  with  their  first  success  as 
reformers.  To-day  a  very  large  proportion  of  churches  in  the 
Pennsylvania  Conference  are  Disciple  churches. 

John  Ellis,  visiting  his  former  fields  in  Pennsylvania,  sent 
glowing  accounts  of  how  Christians  and  Disciples  had  ''come 
together  on  a  platform  of  Christian  union,"  and  all  belonged  to 
the  Pennsylvania  Conference.^  Only  the  Lewisburg  church  is 
left  to-day.  It  was  a  case  of  slow  absorption,  extending  over 
about  thirty  years.  Rev.  E.  W.  Humphreys,  a  historian  and 
biographer  of  wide  acquaintance  among  the  Christians,  wrote 
in  1878  of  the  union  between  Disciples  of  Christ  and  Christians 
in  Pennsylvania.  He  stated  that  the  method  of  union  was  to 
induce  Christians  to  employ  Disciple  ministers,  usually  under 
guise  of  union ;  that  then  the  ministers  gradually  asserted  Dis- 
ciple doctrines,  and  ultimately  gained  the  churches.^ 

There  has  been  no  formal  negotiation  between  general 
organizations  of  the  denominations.  There  can  be  no  general 
aflSliation.  Prof.  Gates  says  that  the  Disciples  have  attained 
their  remarkable  growth  by  two  methods — evangelism  and 
proselytism.  The  latter  is  utterly  repugnant  to  the  genius  of 
the  Christians.  Neither  do  they  have  communion  service  every 
Sunday,  nor  baptize  for  remission  of  sins,  nor  shut  out  all 
unbaptized  persons  from  membership.  These  differences  being 
perpetuated,  union  between  the  two  bodies  will  be  impossible. 

WITH  THE  UNITARIANS 

In  the  foregoing  pages  frequent  mention  has  been  made  of 
relations  between  Unitarians  and  Christians.  Unitarians 
entered  Boston  in  178.5,  with  James  Freeman.  The  very  year 
the  Christian  Church,  South,  was  organized,  1794,  Unitarianism 
appeared  in  New  York  in  the  person  of  John  Butler ;  and  hence 
the  Unitarian  movement  arose  contemporaneously  with  the 
Christians'  movement;  but  the  Christians  early  outstripped 
the  Unitarians  in  point  of  numerical  increase.       Both  had  a 

1  H.  G.  L.,  April  21,  1887  ;  April  5,  1888.  -  Iliid..  September  14,  1878. 


WITH  THE  "CHRISTIAN  UNION"  307 

kindred  tie  in  standing  for  religious  liberty.  In  the  process 
of  time  lejiding  men  in  both  denominations  became  acquainted 
and  accorded  mutual  fellowship. 

A  Mr.  Fuller,  a  Unitarian  minister  in  Wisconsin,  became 
a  member  of  the  Northern  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  Christian 
Conference  in  1844,  and  provoked  considerable  talk  about 
union.^  He  published  his  action  and  position,  and  Christian 
ministers  did  the  same. 

About  this  time  and  a  little  subsequently  the  Pennsylvania 
Christian  Conference  made  overtures  to  three  denominations 
— the  Disciples  of  Christ,  the  Unitarians  and  the  ''Church  of 
God."  Resolutions  touching  the  subject  were  passed  in  the 
Pennsylvania  Conference  and  in  the  American  Unitarian  Asso- 
ciation. It  was  stated  that  one  Unitarian  minister  had 
already  been  trying  union.-  Another  conference  or  two  had 
taken  up  union  talk. 

But  among  the  Christians  the  proposal  did  not  meet  much 
favor.  In  1848  the  New  Jersey  Christian  Conference  even 
passed  a  resolution  of  disfavor.  However,  the  establishment 
of  Meadville  Theological  School  in  184.3  kept  up  agitation. 
The  Unitarians  and  Christians  co-operated  in  that  enterprise. 
That  alliance  did  not  suit  a  very  large  per  cent,  of  Christians, 
except  those  nearest  the  seat  of  the  School.  It  resulted  in  a 
stigma  upon  the  Christians,  who  declared  that  they  were  not 
Unitarians  in  sentiment  or  teaching.  A  breach  between  the 
denominations  over  Antioch  arose  also,  and  later  when  action 
was  taken  in  186G,  looking  toward  a  theological  school  for  the 
Christians,  the  coalition  with  the  Unitarians  was  dissolved, 
although  both  general  bodies  have  exchanged  fraternal  cour- 
tesies ever  since. 

WITH  THE  ^''christian  UNION" 

During  the  war  a  denomination  calling  itself  the  "Chris- 
tian Union"  was  quite  prominent,  with  cliurches  in  western 

1  Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  XIV,  p.  73.  =  Ibid.,   Vol.  XV,  pp.  GO,   134,   168,   170. 


308  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

states,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois,  and  Missouri.  In  part  the 
denomination  was  composed  of  people  holding  identically  the 
tenets  promulgated  by  the  Christians,  and  in  part  of  churches 
that  had  once  belonged  to  the  Christians,  but  had  been  alienated 
during  the  War/  Without  thought  we  might  expect  the  union 
subject  to  arise  here. 

In  1869  the  North  Carolina  and  Virginia  Conference  had 
proposals  before  it  involving  the  Christians  and  Christian 
Union,  and  appointed  ''four  commissioners  to  confer  with  the 
Christian  Union  brethren  of  the  Western  States,  if  in  the 
opinion  of  the  commissioners  such  a  conference  should  appear 
desirable."      No  results  came  of  the  action.- 

In  the  state  of  Iowa  a  union  was  formed  between  the  Iowa 
State  Christian  Conference  and  Christian  Union  brethren, 
during  the  summer  of  1873.  Each  body  met  at  Le  Grand  and 
held  sessions  by  itself,  while  tentative  union  proposals  were 
being  discussed ;  and  then  joint  sessions  were  held,  resulting 
in  formation  of  the  "State  Association  of  Churches  of  Christ  in 
Iowa."  Rev.  J.  B.  Young  was  elected  President,  and  Rev.  W. 
V.  Lucas,  Secretary.  This  union  was  based  on  principles  from 
the  first  adopted  by  the  Christians:  the  Scriptures  the  only  rule 
of  faith  and  practice ;  Christian  character  the  only  test  of 
church  fellowship ;  independence  of  local  churches ;  promotion 
of  missionary,  publishing  and  other  co-operative  measures. 

The  aim  was  stated  to  be  cultivation  of  Christian  acquaint- 
ance between  the  bodies;  promotion  of  harmony  and  union  in 
Christian  labor;  consideration  and  supervision  of  general  inter- 
ests belonging  to  the  Christian  cause  in  Iowa. 

This  Association  was  composed  of  delegates  of  churches 
and  religious  bodies  responding  to  the  general  call.  The 
enrollment  at  Winterset,  in  August,  1874,  when  the  second 
session  was  held,  was  representative  of  five  conferences  and 
twelve    churches.        Then    resolutions    were    passed    touching 

1  Annual  of  the  Christian  Church,  South,   1871,   p.   75.  2  jjlnutes  N.  C. 

and  Va.  Conf.,  1869.       See  Ap.,  p.  300. 


WITH  THE  "CHRISTIAN  UNION"  309 

employmeut  of  u  soliciting  agent  for  IjC  Grand  Christian  Insti- 
tute, which  was  supposed  to  be  under  supervision  of  the  newly 
formed  Association;  conceruinj;  support  of  the  Christian 
Biblical  Institute,  and  patronage  of  the  Herald  of  (jospel 
Liberty  and  Sunday  School  Herald.  Delegates  were  appointed 
to  the  approaching  quadrennial  sessions  of  the  American 
Christian  Convention,  to  be  held  at  Stanfordville,  X.  Y.  As 
for  Christian  Union  enterprises,  a  committee  was  raised  to 
consider  whether  endowment  of  a  professorship  in  Humboldt 
College,  in  Iowa,  were  feasible.^ 

To  all  intents  and  purposes  this  Association  brought 
Christian  Union  people  into  line  with  the  Christians,  to  support 
the  latter's  enterprises.  A  large  tent  owned  by  the  Christian 
Union  was  used  for  several  seasons  for  revival  purposes.  But 
gradually  each  denominational  section  gravitated  toward  its 
own  center,  and  union  and  co-operation  ceased.  The  Chris- 
tians gained  but  little  advantage  from  thatJ^ion.  The  Iowa 
State  Conference  emerged,  as  the  Associa1ll^^disai)i)eared. 

Before  1886  Christian  Union  people  in  the  West  had  been 
co-operating  with  the  Christians,  holding  conventions  to  plan 
for  union,  and  some  state  associations  and  conferences  of  the 
latter  body  had  formulated  and  adopted  a  working  basis. 
When  the  quadrennial  session  of  the  American  Christian  Con- 
vention met  at  New  Bedford,  in  1886,  it  received  a  communica- 
tion from  the  General  Council  of  Churches  of  the  Christian 
Union,  offering  ''co-operation  and  union''  "in  the  name  of  Christ 
on  the  Bible."  In  addition  to  five  cardinal  principles  usually 
enumerated  by  the  Christians,  the  basis  of  union  offered  includ- 
ed: local  church  autonomy;  preaching  of  partisan  politics 
discountenanced ;  annual  and  general  meetings  to  be  called 
"Conferences  of  the  Churches  of  Christ;"  the  question  of  union 
to  be  submitted  to  individual  churches  of  both  denominations, 
and  union  to  become  effective  as  soon  as  a  majority  vote  was 
reported;  title  to  local  church  property  to  be  unaffected;  and 

^  H.  G.  L.,  July  25,  1874,  and  succeeding  issues. 


310  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

a  few  other  matters  of  polity.  The  American  Christian  Con- 
vention approved  and  recognized  union  upon  cardinal  points  as 
decided  upon  between  the  two  communions  in  states  concerned, 
and  appointed  fraternal  messengers  to  the  General  Council.^ 

Four  years  later  the  standing  committee  on  union  reported 
that  "the  union  with  the  Christian  Union  has  been  more  and 
more  recognized,"  and  that  a  meeting  had  recently  been  held  at 
SpringHeld,  Ohio,  to  forward  union.  Just  how  much  strength 
was  added  to  the  Christians  we  are  unable  to  say.  Two  or 
three  Christian  Union  churches  and  a  few  ministers  actually 
united,  out  of  one  hundred  forty  churches  and  ts\'0  hundred 
ministers  reported. 

In  1909  in  Missouri  there  was  talk  about  union  between 
Christian  Union  brethren  and  the  Christians,  and  the  subject 
was  brought  before  one  of  the  Missouri  conferences,  but  with 
no  results  whatever. 

WITH   THE   GENERAL   BAPTISTS 

For  many  years  there  had  existed  in  England  a  dissenting 
body  called  General  Baptists,  dating  back  more  than  two  hun- 
dred fifty  years,  with  whom  fraternal  relations  have  been  main- 
tained. That  body  learning  of  the  Christians  in  America,  sent 
greetings  as  early  as  1823.  The  two  bodies  have  contended  for 
quite  similar  principles,  and  found  themselves  in  accord.  Rev, 
Joseph  Badger  sought  to  go  to  England  in  1824  to  effect  a 
union."  Fraternal  messengers  have  been  exchanged,  Rev.  D. 
W.  Moore  having  gone  to  England  as  representative  of  the 
American  Christian  Convention  to  the  General  Baptist  Assem- 
bly in  1867,  and  Rev.  J.  A.  Brinkworth,  of  London,  having  come 
with  greetings  from  his  peo|)le  to  conferences  of  the  Christians 
in  187G  and  1880.=^  The  General  Baptist  Assembly,  gathered 
in  London,  in  1865,  sent  greetings  and  sympathy  on  account  of 
Lincoln's  assassination,  and  response  was  made  in  proper  vein. 

1  Minutes   of  A.  C.  C   1886.  =  Badger,  p.   264.  »  Chris.  An.,  1902, 

p.  21. 


WITH  THE  CONGREGATIONALISTS  311 

Again,  when  agitation  for  union  with  the  Free  Baptists  was 
coming  to  a  head,  the  General  Baptists  sent  greetings  and 
expressed  hope  of  actual  uuion.^  x\nd  rehirions  with  the 
English  brethren  have  been  maintained  since. 

SPORADIC  CASES 

A  few  sporadic  cases  of  suggested  union  might  be  men- 
tioned, but  a  single  one  will  perhaps  be  typical.  About  1835 
Joseph  Badger  wrote  to  a  certain  influential  Presbyterian  min- 
ister who  seemed  open  to  suggestion  that  Presbyterians  and 
Christians  in  central  New  York  hold  a  meeting  to  consider 
union,  and  Badger  suggested  certain  grounds  upon  which  all 
evangelical  bodies  might  meet.  His  proposition  was  rejected 
entirely,  as  it  probably  should  have  been.  But  somewhat  later, 
at  Syracuse,  New  York,  in  1838,  was  held  a  convention  of  sev- 
eral denominations  to  discuss  union.  The  Christians  were 
represented.  "A  species  of  Presbyterians"  (not  described) 
took  the  lead  in  the  discussion.  Five  resolutions  were  adopted, 
in  substance  as  follows :  The  fit  to  enter  the  church  in  heaven 
are  fit  to  enter  the  church  on  earth;  faith  in  Jesus  Christ  is 
key  to  the  door  of  the  church  in  heaven ;  if  more  than  satisfac- 
tory evidence  is  required  for  fellowship,  that  would  exclude 
some  of  Christ's  followers;  to  shut  out  any  child  of  God  incurs 
fearful  guilt ;  to  receive  people  of  varying  views  incurs  no  more 
responsibility  than  to  obey  any  other  command  of  Christ.  The 
meeting  dissolved  without  results.^ 

W^rril   THE   CONGREGATIONALISTS 

In  perusing  church  literature  of  the  seventies  one  will 
frequently  find  mention  of  a  paper  published  in  New  Y''ork  and 
called  Church  Union,  the  self-appointed  mission  of  which  was 
to  advocate  the  following  principles : 

''1.     WTiatever  occasion  may  have  existed   in  times  past 

1  Minutes  A.  C.  C,  188G.  'Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  VII,  pp.  161-164. 


312  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

for  the  division  of  the  Church  into  separate  denominations,  we 
hold  that  the  efforts  of  Christians  should  be  henceforth  and 
continuous  toward  an  actual  and  visible  oneness. 

"2.  While  opposed  to  any  such  concentration  of  powers  as 
would  trench  upon  the  inherent  liberty  of  the  individual  Chris- 
tian or  society  of  disciples,  we  hold  that  the  evangelical  be- 
lievers and  congregations  of  each  locality  should  aim  to 
manifest  to  the  world  their  essential  unity  in  faith  and  spirit. 

"3.  We  hold  those  churches  to  be  evangelical,  which,  main- 
taining the  Holy  Scriptures  to  be  the  only  infallible  rule  of 
faith  and  practice,  do  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  (the 
only-begotten  of  the  P'ather,  King  of  kings  and  Lord  of  lords, 
in  whom  dwelleth  the  fullness  of  the  Godhead  bodily,  and  who 
was  made  sin  for  us,  though  knowing  no  sin,  bearing  our  sins 
in  his  own  body  on  the  tree)  as  the  only  name  under  heaven 
given  among  men  whereby  we  may  be  saved  from  sin  and  eternal 
punishment." 

These  principles  were  endorsed  and  advocated  by  influen- 
tial men  of  leading  denominations,  and  Church  Union  is  said 
to  have  had  a  large  constituency  and  circulation.  Public 
meetings  were  held  in  many  places  in  New  York  and  other  states 
to  advance  the  principles  above.  That  movement  soon  reached 
Michigan.  Free  Baptists,  Congregationalists  and  Christians 
indulged  in  considerable  correspondence  looking  toward  a 
union  on  the  basis  above  cited ;  for  they  deemed  it  wise  to  lessen 
the  number  of  denominations  by  consolidating  those  whose 
polity  and  belief  were  similar.  Echoes  of  that  Michigan  agita- 
tion have  come  down  to  our  day ;  and  for  twenty  years  prior  to 
1895  union  was  quite  a  theme  with  the  Christians  of  that  state. 

As  in  other  instances,  the  union  was  mostly  in  talk.  But 
there  were  some  results  from  the  agitation.  At  least  three 
churches  fostered  by  the  Christians — Belding,  Nashville,  and 
Pittsford — became  Congregational,  and  some  Christian  minis- 
ters joined  the  Congregational  church;  while  on  the  other 
hand  the  Maple  Rapids  church  became  Christian.      The  Beld- 


CINCINNATI  CONVENTION  313 

ing  church  was  organized  on  a  union  basis,  and  is  said  to  have 
embraced  adherents  of  uo  less  than  eight  denominations. 
Eventually  the  Congi-egationalists  gained  the  ascendancy  and 
affiliation  of  the  l>elding  church.^ 

Readers  might  suppose  that  there  was  a  considerable  seces- 
sion to  the  Congregational  church ;  but  such  was  not  the  case. 
Agitation  was  promoted  by  several  denominations,  and  the 
Christians  did  not  begin  it  in  Michigan  or  elsewhere.  Un- 
doubtedly the  Christian  denomination  sutfered  most;  but 
possibly  their  cause  advanced. 

In  New  England  local  conditions  suggested  some  sort  of 
alliance  to  preserve  remnants  of  dead  or  decaying  churches; 
and  no  people  seemed  more  akin  to  the  Christians  than  the 
Congregationalists.  A  few  ministers  had  been  exchanged  in 
the  course  of  years,  and  exj)erienced  enjoyable  fellowship. 
Finally,  the  subject  was  put  before  the  New  England  Christian 
Convention  in  1893,  and  pretty  thoroughly  dissected.  A  way 
to  union  was  possible,  although  all  advances  must  come  from 
Christians.  A  year  later  the  American  Christian  Convention 
met  at  Haverhill,  ]Mass.,  and  union  was  quite  prominent. 
Resolutions  were  adopted  which  looked  innocent  enough  then, 
but  which  became  a  bone  of  contention  later.  The  Committee 
on  Christian  Union  met  afterward  at  Craigville,  Mass.,  and 
found  some  difficulty  in  formulating  their  thought.  It  is  not 
necessary  to  follow  the  matter  further.  Sporadic  union  talk 
continued  for  several  years.  No  results  followed  directly; 
but  several  ministers  of  the  Christians  had  tiieir  attention 
called  to  Congregationalism,  and  later  changed  their  fellowship. 

CINCINNATI  CONVENTION 

At  Cincinnati,  in  1874,  synchronous  with,  the  Michigan 
union  talk,  several  denominations  were  represented  in  a  meet- 
ing to  consider  ''organic  Christian  unity."      A  basis  of  union 

1  Rev.  D.  E.  Millard,   of  Michigan,  furnished  some  matter  on  the  Michigan 
union. 


314  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

was  decided  upon,  and,  as  usual,  members  of  the  Christian 
Connection  were  concerned.  The  formulary  is  too  lengthy  to 
reproduce  here.  It  was  planned  to  recognize  as  ''Union  Chris- 
tian ministers''  such  clergymen  as  subscribed  to  the  basis,  and 
to  allow  churches  to  adopt  the  basis  and  become  "Union  Chris- 
tian Churches  of  America."  No  change  of  denominational 
relations  was  required.  A  second  convention  was  planned 
for  the  year  1875.  Some  Christians  in  Ohio  and  the  South 
were  interested  and  represented  at  Cincinnati;  but  eventually 
they  did  nothing.^ 

Most  of  the  larger  conferences  and  associations  and  even 
the  American  Christian  Convention  have,  therefore,  been  drawn 
into  union  talk  and  plans,  and  have  delivered  themselves  of 
manifestoes  on  the  union  question.  Some  of  them  are  still 
good  reading ;  c.  g.,  the  somewhat  lenghty  report  adopted  by  the 
Miami  Ohio  Conference,  in  1870. 

THE  PITTSBURGH  FOUR-DENOMINATION  CONFERENCE 

Few  movements  have  raised  greater  expectation,  created 
greater  comment,  or  resulted  in  more  disappointment  in  cer- 
tain quarters  than  that  culminating  April  22  and  23,  1903,  in 
a  four-cornered  conference  between  representatives  of  the 
United  Brethren,  CongTegational,  Methodist  Protestant  and 
Christian  denominations.  The  agitation  began  the  year  before, 
introduced  by  the  United  Brethren.  Leading  men  in  all  four 
bodies  had  been  discussing  the  proposed  union,  and  had  fore- 
seen no  insurmountable  hindrance,  unless  vested  interests  and 
endowed  institutions  should  stand  in  the  way.  The  press  of 
each  denomination  had  expressed  itself  cautiously,  reaching 
varied  conclusions.  Finally,  a  conference  was  called  to  meet 
at  Pittsburgh  on  the  date  mentioned,  the  Christians  not  being 
formally  included  in  the  call.  Rev.  Messrs.  J.  J.  Summerbell, 
O.  W.  Powers  and  J.  F.  Burnett  represented  the  Christians, 

'  Annual  of  Southern  Churches,  1874,  p.  79.       See  full  report  of  Cincinnati 
meeting  in  H.  G.  L.,  November  21,  1874. 


PITTSBURGH    CONFERENCE  315 

and  wore  liv  vote  of  the  conference  included  in  the 
roll  of  the  meeting.  Washington  Gladden,  I),  D..  of  Ohio, 
Congregational ist,  presided.  After  organization,  representa- 
tives of  the  denominations  were  called  upon  to  ex])ress  them- 
selves on  the  church  union  question.  Dr.  Summerbell  was  the 
first  to  speak,  declaring  that  if  a  union  that  would  include  all 
followers  of  Christ  were  formed,  the  Christians  would  gladly 
merge  themselves  into  the  new  body,  transferring  their  interests 
as  fast  as  arrangements  could  be  made ;  but  if  union  Avere  not 
effected,  then  he  offered  a  plan  of  federation,  which  provided 
for  a  committee  from  each  body  "to  suggest  and  carry  forward 
gospel  enterprises,''  only  such  work  being  undertaken  as  the 
commission  could  unanimously  agree  upon ;  that  other  denom- 
inations be  admitted  to  the  commission  on  the  same  terms;  that 
the  commission  he  self-governing,  subject  to  the  unanimitv 
rule ;  that  the  expenses  be  shared  equally  by  the  denominations 
federated ;  that  debt  and  causes  of  division  be  avoided. 

Methodist  Protestants  demanded  a  formal  organization 
having  definite  name,  creed,  laws,  and  officers,  a  centralized 
authority,  with  real  local  autonomy  for  churches  and  small 
district  associations. 

The  United  Brethren  required  "an  evangelical  confession 
of  faith,  general  superintendency  in  government,  a  modified 
form  of  itinerancy,  vesting  of  property  rights  in  the  new  organ- 
ization, a  new  name  to  the  exclusion  of  all  present  names  of 
the  denominations  conferring. 

Congregationalists  proposed  a  national  council  of  delegates 
to  have  suj^ervision  of  "our  entire  communion,"  to  assist  in 
adjusting  the  relations  of  local  bodies,  directed  to  approve  "the 
several  creeds  or  statements  of  faith  in  common  use  in  the 
bodies,"  and  in  general  promote  the  welfare  of  the  united  body; 
local  bodies  to  follow  such  methods  of  procedure  as  they  were 
accustomed  to;  and  creation  of  a  sub-committee  to  work  out 
details  for  furtherance  of  union. 

The  sub-committee  reported  to  the  conference  a  plan :  to 


316  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

affirm  the  formulated  statements  of  doctrine  of  each  denomina- 
tion, the  formation  of  a  General  Council  of  delegates  from  the 
denominations,  chosen  in  the  ratio  of  membership,  without 
legislative  or  judicial  powers,  each  denomination  retaining  its 
name  and  autonomy  in  respect  to  local  affairs,  but  adding  to  its 
official  title  "in  Affiliation  with  the  General  Council  of  the 
United  Churches." 

This  report  was  adopted  by  three  denominations,  but  the 
Christians  could  not  agree  to  the  affirmation  of  creeds,  one  or 
three,  or  more,  and  had  no  further  formal  connections  with 
the  negotiations.  They  did  offer  amendment  to  allow  each 
denomination  to  stand  on  its  own  doctrinal  basis,  but  that  was 
not  acceptable  to  the  other  denominations. 

It  remains  to  be  said  merely  that  the  proposed  plans  were 
not  adopted  b}^  the  three  denominations  in  their  national 
bodies,  and  that  therefore  union  was  not  effected. 

With  the  exception  of  an  increment  acquired  from  the 
Christian  Union  people,  the  union  question,  whenever  it  has 
been  taken  seriously,  has  resulted  in  numerical  loss  to  the 
Christians.  Other  denominations  have  benefitted,  the  Chris- 
tians sorrowed.  And  it  should  be  said  also  that  discussion 
of  union  never  has  conduced  to  harmony  within  the  denomina- 
tion, but  has  provoked  discord.  So  long  as  the  question  is 
one  of  fellowshiping  all  Christians,  of  co-operating,  of  practic- 
ing unity,  all  goes  well ;  but  when  merging  churches  and  denom- 
inations is  proposed,  difficulty  begins.  The  above  instances 
will  illustrate  the  several  phases  of  union  discussion,  and  give 
point  to  general  conclusions  just  stated. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  XIV 

Chiefly  as  iutlicatecl  in  the  foot-uotes.       No  attempt  has  hitherto 
been  made  to  bring  this  scattered  matter  together. 


CHAPTER  XV 


CHAPTER  XV 

Educational  Advance  Since  1894 

SINCE  1894  probably  the  most  remarkable  gain  made  by 
the  denomination  has  been  in  its  educational  institutions, 
an  advance  abundantly  reflected  in  the  character  of  the 
ministry  and  new  laity. 

THE  new  STARKEY 

Considerably  the  oldest  school  founded  by  the  Christians 
stands  on  the  west  shore  of  beautiful  Seneca  Lake,  in  New 
York.  But  it  has  been  rejuvenated,  and  youthful  vigor  now 
marks  its  course.  Age  had  begun  to  leave  its  impress,  when 
Hon.  F.  A,  Palmer,  of  New  York,  set  aside  funds  to  erect  a 
handsome  new  building  on  a  site  very  much  nearer  the  lake 
than  the  old  one.  This  building  was  dedicated  in  September, 
1900,  many  prominent  men  l>eing  present,  and  Mr.  Palmer 
himself  presenting  the  keys  to  the  board  of  trustees.  Since 
then  the  old  buildings  have  been  empty,  until  within  a  year 
or  two  the  International  Sunshine  Society'  has  estal)lishpd  there 
Starkey  Seminary  Sunsliine  Lodge,  a  rest  home  for  women  and 
girls,  with  accommodations  for  nearly  one  hundred  guests. 
The  Lodge  is  also  hotel  of  the  town,  formerly  called  Eddytown, 
but  now  Lakemont.  Mr.  Palmer  erected  a  president's  man- 
sion and  a  handsome  church  building,  secured  a  parsonage 
property,  made  a  direct  endowment  of  one  hundred  thousand 
dollars  to  the  Seminary,  and  provided  for  its  future  needs  out 
of  the  munificent  Francis  Asbury  Palmer  Fund.  These  invest- 
ments in  Lakemont  represent  more  than  one  hundred  fifty 
thousand  dollars.  So  large  is  the  new  seminary  building  that 
teachers'  living  rooms,  dormitories  for  both  boys  and  girls, 


320  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

recitation  rooms,  society  rooms,  music  and  art  studios,  and 
dining  rooms  are  amply  accommodated. 

Wlien  contemplating  this  rejuvenation  of  Palmer  Institute- 
Starkey  Seminary,  Mr.  Palmer  made  it  possible  to  place 
Rev.  Martyn  Summerbell  at  its  head.  Dr.  Summerbell 
has  had  large  educational  experience,  scholastic  training,  and 
ministerial  service.  He  is  a  nephew  of  Nicholas  Summerbell, 
first  president  of  Union  Christian  College,  and  began  his 
college  training  under  direction  of  his  uncle.  He  has  been 
connected  with  the  Christian  Biblical  Institute,  the  Corre- 
spondence College,  besides  other  schools  or  colleges  outside  the 
denomination.  His  administration  at  Lakemont  has  been 
entirely  successful. 

The  following-named  men  have  been  principals  or  presi- 
dents of  Starkey  Seminary :  Rev.  Charles  Morgridge,  1842-1844 ; 
Thomas  E.  Turner,  1844-1847;  Rev.  Edmund  ChadAvick,  1847- 
1861 ;  Rev.  O.  F.  Ingoldsby,  1861-1872 ;  B.  F.  McHenry,  M.  A., 
1873-1877 ;  R.  D.  Evans,  1877-1878 ;  Rev.  O.  F.  Ingoldsby,  1878- 
1885;  Rev.  Wm.  J.  Reynolds,  1885-1886 ;  Rev.  G.  R.Hammond, 
Ph.  D.,  1886-1891 ;  Rev.  A.  H.  Morrill,  M.  A.,  D.  D.,  1891-1894  ; 
Frank  Carney,  1894-1895;  Rev.  0.  R.  Hammond,  Ph.D.,  1896- 
1898;  Rev.  Martyn  Summerbell,  Ph.  D.,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  1898—. 

ADVANCE  OF  UNION   CHRISTIAN   COLLEGE 

Circumstances  attending  the  founding  of  this  college  have 
ah-eady  been  detailed,  attention  being  directed  to  the  stock- 
holding plan  of  financing  it.  A  gradual  shrinking  of  endow- 
ment and  insufticient  funds  for  current  expenses  involved  the 
college  in  debt  and  embarrassment.  When  Hon.  F.  A.  Palmer 
endowed  other  schools,  he  made  a  conditional  offer  of  thirty 
thousand  dollars  to  Union  Christian  College,  and  eventually 
fifty  thousand  dollars  was  added  to  its  permanent  funds.  When 
the  late  Rev.  C.  J.  Jones  became  President,  he  at  once  raised 
money  for  renovating  the  buildings  and  giving  them  modern 
equipment.       New  interest  was  awakened,  and   success  was 


LE  GKAND  BECOMES  PALMER  COLLEGE    321 

attondiiiii:  the  President's  devoted  efforts,  only  to  be  halted  by 
his  sudden  death,  ere  his  work  was  well  begun.  His  plans  for 
repairing  and  improving  buildings  and  equipment  were  carried 
out  under  leadership  of  President  O.  B.  Whitaker,  who 
put  the  College  into  good  working  order  again,  with  debts  wiped 
out,  a  good  student  constituency  secured,  and  prospect  of  large 
future  usefulness.  In  1909  a  ladies'  dormitory  was  com- 
pleted providing  accommodations  for  about  seventy  students. 
This  has  proved  a  great  benefit.  Dr.  Whitaker  developed 
the  normal  department  (he  has  earned  a  reputation  as  maker 
of  teachers),  and  strengthened  others  very  materially.  The 
Biblical  Department  offers  an  English  Bible  course  and  a 
theological  course. 

A  delightful  location  on  the  bluff  one  hundred  fifty  feet 
above  Wabash  river,  improved  buildings  and  new  dormitory, 
well  crystallized  traditions,  deepening  loyalty  of  in  increasing 
constituency,  all  augur  favorably  for  coming  years. 

Following  is  a  list  of  presidents  by  years  of  service:  N. 
Summerbell,  D.  D.,  1860-18GG;  Thomas  Holmes,  D.  D.,  1866- 
1876 ;  Rev.  T.  C.  Smith,  M.  A.,  1876-1883 ;  Elisha  Mudge,  D.  D., 
1883-1887 ;  L.  J.  Aldrich,  Ph.  D.,  1887-1905 ;  C.  J.  Jones,  D.  D., 
1905-1906 ;  G.  R.  Hammond,  Ph.  D.,  1906-1907 ;  O.  B.  Whitaker, 
Pd.  D.,  D.  D.,  1907-1911;  D.  A.  Long,  D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  1911—. 

LE  GRAND  COLLEGE  BECOMES  PALMER  COLLEGE 

We  have  followed  the  fortunes  of  Le  Grand  Christian  Col- 
lege from  its  founding  in  1865,  to  the  gTanting  of  a  new  charter 
in  1889,  creating  Le  Grand  Christian  College  out  of  Le  Grand 
Christian  Institute.  About  1897  the  College  was  conditionally 
given  thirty  thousand  dollars  by  Hon.  F.  A.  Palmer,  and  soon 
added  fifty  thousand  dollars  to  its  endowment.  In  honor  of 
its  benefactor,  the  trustees  adopted  a  new  name,  and  since 
1897  the  College  has  been  styled  'Talmer  College."  Better 
equipment  and  larger  faculty  were  thus  made  possible.  Dr. 
Helfenstein's  successor,  in  1899,  was  Rev.  Carlyle  Summerbell, 


322  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

near  the  close  of  whose  administration  there  M'as  agitation 
abont  removing  the  College  to  a  better  location.  This  threw 
the  work  into  some  disorder,  and  the  attendance  declined.  For 
the  year  1906-07  there  was  no  president,  Prof.  Harry  Haas, 
dean,  being  acting  President.  Then  Rev.  E.  C.  Kerr, 
who  had  been  pastor  of  the  Christian  Church  in  Le 
Grand,  and  dean  of  the  college,  for  one  year,  became  President 
in  1908.  continuing  to  1911.  His  administration  was  suc- 
cessful in  gaining  support  and  constituency  and  students  for 
that  College.  He  contemplated  and  started  some  manual 
training.  Preparatory  and  collegiate,  as  well  as  normal  and 
commercial  departments  have  been  maintained.  For  pros- 
pective ministers  a  Biblical  course  has  been  taught.  It  is 
impossible  to  estimate  this  school's  value  to  the  denomination 
in  Iowa. 

The  following  persons  have  served  as  principal  or  presi- 
dent: Rev.  r>.  M.  Lines,  18G5-1867;  Mrs.  Josephine  Guthrie, 
1867-1868;  Rev.  O.  A.  Roberts,  1868-1870;  Rev.  F.  R.  Wade, 
1873 ;  Prof.  Chas.  Ellison,  1873-1876 ;  Prof.  J.  Q.  Evans,  1876- 
1878;  interregnum;  D.  M.  Helfenstein,  M.  A.,  D.  D.,  1889-1899; 
Carlyle  Summerbell,  M.  A.,  D.  D.,  1899-1906 ;  Prof.  Harry  Haas, 
M.  S.,  acting,  1906-1907;  Rev.  E.  C.  Kerr,  M.  A.,  acting,  1907- 
1908 ;  E.  C.  Kerr,  1908-1911 ;  Rev.  E.  A.  Watkins,  M.  A.,  1911—. 

WEAUBLEAU    CHRISTIAN    COLLEGE 

The  founder  and  long-time  President,  Rev.  John  Whitaker, 
severed  his  connection  with  Weaubleau,  in  1905,  and 
was  succeeded  by  his  son,  O.  B.  Whitaker,  who  had 
served  so  long  in  Kansas  Christian  College.  A  year  later 
Rev.  Fred  Cooper  assumed  the  President's  position,  and  has 
since  continued  there.  Graduates  of  this  college  have  become 
eminent  in  educational  circles  of  Missouri  and  other  states. 
and  are  now  in  position  to  serve  their  alma  mater  better  than 
formerly.  Gradually  the  financial  strength  of  that  institution 
was  increased,  until  the  debt  was  wiped  out  near  the  close  of 


REMOVAL  OF  BIBLICAL  INSTITUTE  323 

rresideut  Joliu  Whitakor's  adininistratiou.  It  is  uow  free 
of  debt  and  has  a  small  eudowment.  Instruction  is  given  in 
live  departments — preparatory,  commercial,  normal,  scientific 
and  classical,  appropriate  deji;rees  being  granted  to  students 
completing  courses.  The  work  of  Weaubleau  Christian  Col- 
lege must  be  pronounced  very  successful.  Twenty-five  hun- 
dred students  have  matriculated  and  pursued  full  or  incomplete 
courses.  It  means  much  to  bring  such  a  body  of  young  people 
temporarily  under  the  influence  of  Christian  educational  ideals. 
Bresidents:  John  Whitaker,  D.  D.,  1872-1900;  O.  B.  Whit- 
aker,  Pd.  D.,  L).  L).,  11)00-1907;  Rev.  Fred  Cooper,  M.  A.,  1907—. 

REMOVAL  OF  CHRISTIAN  BIBLICAL   INSTITUTE 

Stanfordville,  N.  Y.,  had  become  too  far  removed  from  the 
center  of  denominational  life,  and  sentiment  had  so  changed 
that  city  locations  were  regarded  as  preferable  for  educational 
seats.  There  were  numerous  other  reasons  why  removal  was 
urged,  and  new  sites  had  been  offered.  Finally  a  proposal  was 
made  to  the  trustees  by  the  trustees  of  Defiance  College  which 
was  eventually  accepted,  and  removal  was  accomplished  in 
1907.  From  1894  onward  the  student  body  at  Stanfordville 
had  been  small,  and  friends  of  the  Institute  felt  that  aflSliation 
with  some  institution  of  higher  learning  would  tend  to  increase 
the  number  of  theological  students  possessed  of  thorough  pre- 
liminary training. 

This  has  been  made  possible  by  removal  to  Defiance  and 
affiliation  with  the  College,  while  college  students  have  availed 
themselves  of  courses  in  the  Institute.  Citizens  of  Defiance 
raised  a  fund  of  ten  thousand  dollars,  which,  with  proceeds  of 
the  Stanfordville  property  and  a  contribution  of  the  venerable 
President,  Dr.  J.  B.  Weston,  made  possible  erection  of  a 
commodious  building  called  ''Weston  Hall"  to  hou?e  the  Insti- 
tute. Into  its  new  home  the  Institute  moved  in  the  fall  of 
1907.  Already  the  number  of  ministerial  students  has 
increased,  and  further  good  results  are  confidently  expected. 


324  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

In  1910  President  McReynolds  was  made  President  of  Christian 
Biblical  Institute,  Dr.  Weston  retaining  his  post  as  instructor, 
and  becoming  Chancellor  of  the  College.  It  will  require  a 
series  of  years  to  work  out  problems  involved  by  this  new  loca- 
tion and  readjustment.  P>ut  the  outlook  is  bright.  The 
Institute's  assets  are  nearly  one  hundred  fifty  thousand  dollars 
A  larger  endowment  should  be  provided  that  the  faculty  may 
be  increased. 

Presidents :  Austin  Craig,  D.  D.,  1869-1881 ;  J.  B.  Weston, 
D.  D.,  LL.  D.,  1882-1910;  P.  W.  McReynolds,  M.  A.,  D.  D., 
1910—. 

KANSAS  CHRISTIAN   COLLEGE 

During  Dr.  Whitaker's  term  the  College  fitted  literally 
scores  who  have  won  success  and  honor  in  the  teaching  pro- 
fession. Three  graduates  have  been  college  presidents,  and 
several  have  occupied  high  positions  in  their  county.  The 
whole  community  has  felt  the  institution's  uplifting  power. 

New  departures  in  the  state  educational  system  have 
militated  somewhat  against  the  college  latterly.  Finances 
are  not  in  thriving  condition,  as  considerable  money  had  to  be 
spent  in  renovating  the  college  building  and  in  employing  such 
a  faculty  as  would  gain  the  College  state  recognition.  This 
is  a  crisis  in  this  College's  life,  for  which  a  few  men  and  women 
have  made  great  sacrifice  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  endowment  funds  are  forthcoming  to 
perpetuate  the  good  work  of  Kansas  Christian  College.  Three 
thousand  students  have  matriculated  in  twenty  years,  mostly 
from  western  Kansas. 

Presidents  by  terms :  Rev.  Thomas  Bartlett,  1885-1891 ; 
Rev.  E.  Cameron,  acting,  1891-1893;  O.  B.  Whitaker,  Pd.  D., 
D.  D.,  1893-1906;  Rev.  G.  R.  Stoner,  1906-1910;  Rev.  C.  G. 
Nelson,  1910—. 

ELON  COLLEGE 

Efforts  at  building  schools  in  the  south  have  been  described 
in  foregoing  pages.      Here  must  begin  a  record  of  a  new  and 


ELON  COLLEGE  325 

thriviuii;  iustitutiou,  built  with  pain  and  sacrifice.  Repeatedly 
from  1870  and  onward  expression  had  been  given  to  need  of  a 
college  for  the  denomination's  southern  branch.  The  Southern 
Christian  Convention  even  voted  to  establish  at  once  such  a 
college,  in  1882,  on  the  stock  plan,  and  started  the  project ;  but 
it  failed.  The  Convention  of  1880  then  voted  to  establish  a 
theological  department  in  Graham  Normal  College.  The  Con- 
vention, through  its  educational  committee,  leased  Graham 
Normal  College  in  1887,  and  a  year  later  held  an  extra  session 
at  Graham  and  ratified  the  purchase.  Decision  to  build  a 
college  was  reached.  Possible  college  sites  were  canvassed 
by  a  provisional  board,  a  board  of  trustees  was  elected,  and  it 
was  decided  to  locate  at  Mill  Point,  in  the  beautiful  hill  coun- 
try of  North  Carolina,  between  Burlington  and  Greensboro. 
A  plot  of  land  containing  forty-eight  acres  was  given  by  W.  H. 
Trollinger,  of  Haw^  River,  and  Mill  Point  people  raised  four 
thousand  dollars.  Faith  saw  splendid  things  in  the  dense  oak 
forest.  The  toAvn's  name  was  changed  by  President  Long  to 
Elon,  on  account  of  the  forest,  and  in  1889  a  charter  was 
obtained  from  the  legislature,  and  erection  of  buildings  begun. 
In  September,  next  year,  college  sessions  commenced.  Rev 
W.  S.  Long,  a  man  of  sterling  character  and  scholarly 
instincts  and  attainments,  for  years  a  leader  in  the  denomina- 
tion and  thoroughly  well  known,  became  first  President.  Rev. 
J.  P.  Barrett  was  Secretary  and  General  Agent,  and 
F.  O.  Moring  was  Treasurer.  A  faculty  was  gathered  that 
immediately  gave  Elon  prestige. 

Elon's  more  recent  history  is  an  account  of  continued  suc- 
cess and  advancement.  President  W,  W.  Staley's  adminis- 
tration was  a  fruitful  period.  The  Southern  Convention 
closely  followed  up  its  enterprise  with  grants  of  money ;  friends 
and  faculty  alike  have  made  sacrifices;  until  to-day  a  college 
of  which  all  may  be  proud  has  taken  definite  form.  Moreover, 
a  handsome  town  has  grown  up  about  it, 

Hon.   F.   A.    Palmer   presented    thirty   thousand    dollars 


326  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

about  1897,  and  other  friends  added  to  the  endowment.  In 
1904  the  College  was  out  of  debt,  and  active  canvass  was  made 
for  an  increased  endowment.  No  enterprise  of  the  Christians 
has  more  clearly  shown  the  possibilities  of  concerted  action 
and  hearty  co-operation.  Three  commodious  brick  buildings, 
an  electric  light  plant,  and  a  beautiful  campus,  are  a  good 
object  lesson;  and  the  busy  faculty  and  students  speak  much 
more. 

President  Mofifitt's  inauguration  in  1906  w^as  a  brilliant 
occasion,  being  participated  in  by  notable  people.  Success 
attends  the  institution  unabated,  and  accumulated  influence 
and  power  mark  its  progress.  Like  several  other  schools 
before  mentioned  Elon  gives  attention  to  theological  training, 
for  its  constituency  depends  largely  upon  the  College's  grad- 
uates for  its  ministers. 

Invested  funds  to  the  amount  of  fifty  thousand  seven 
hundred  dollars  are  held  by  the  corporation ;  conferences 
embraced  in  the  Southern  Christian  Convention  give  an  equiva 
lent  of  thirty  thousand  dollars  invested  funds  annually ;  and 
the  property  is  valued  at  one  hundred  fifty  thousand  dollars, 
making  the  total  assets  more  than  two  hundred  fifty  thousand 
dollars. 

Presidents  have  been  as  follows:  W.  S.  Long,  B.  D., 
1890-1894 ;  W.  W.  Staley,  D.  D.,  1894-1906 ;  Emmett  L.  INToflitt, 
M.  A.,  LL.  D.,  1906-1911 ;  W.  A.  Harpet^  M.  A.,  1911—. 

CHRISTIAN   CORRESrONDENCE   COLLEGE 

In  later  years  the  Correspondence  College  has  not  had 
such  patronage  as  was  accorded  to  it  earlier.  President  Mar- 
tyn  Summerbell  recounted  reasons  for  a  falling  off,  at  the 
quadrennial  Convention  in  1898,  suggesting  that  work  might 
be  provided  for  by  local  conferences,  most  of  wdiich  have  a 
prescribed  course  of  study  required  of  non-academic  students 
before  ordination.  The  Convention  replied  by  continuing  the 
College  under  direction  of  Dr.  Summerbell,  and  urging  local 


DEFIANCE  COLLEGE  327 

loufereuces  to  require  coinpletiou  oi'  the  study  course  laid  out 
by  the  College,  or  an  equivalent,  before  granting  ordination. 
At  the  next  Convention  in  ]!)()2,  the  school's  comparative 
inutility  was  referred  to  the  Educational  Board.  Correspond- 
ence work  was  dropped  during  that  quadrennium.  After  the 
Convention  of  1906  an  enlarged  correspondence  course  was 
laid  out,  and  instruction  again  offered,  Rev.  M.  W.  Baker 
directing  the  school;  but  instruction  has  not  been 
required. 

DEFIANCE  COLLEGE 

A  thriving  city  of  about  ten  thousand  inhabitants  is 
Defiance,  situated  at  the  confluence  of  the  Auglaize  and  Maumee 
Rivers,  in  Defiance  County,  northwestern  Ohio.  General 
Anthony  Wayne's  name  is  indissolubly  connected  with  its  early 
history,  and  but  recently  has  the  old  fort  disappeared  which 
commemorated  Wayne's  famous  defiance.  But  for  us  the  city 
has  interest  as  seat  of  Defiance  College.  This  College  is  an 
outgrowth  of  earlier  attempts  at  founding  a  school  there.  In 
March,  1850,  the  General  Assembly  of  Ohio  granted  a  charter 
to  Defiance  Female  Seminary,  naming  five  persons  who,  as 
trustees,  were  authorized  to  establish  that  school,  allowing  said 
trustees  to  select  twelve  hundred  and  eighty  acrss  of  unsold 
state  land  in  Defiance  and  Paulding  counties,  to  dispose  of 
same  and  apply  the  proceeds  toward  founding  the  Seminary 
contemplated.  However,  the  school  did  not  materialize.  The 
legislature,  by  enactment,  in  18G4,  amended  its  charter,  chang- 
ing its  corporate  name  and  providing  for  education  of  both 
sexes. 

Twenty  years  more  passed  before  the  first  three-story 
brick  building  was  erected  on  the  chosen  site  north  of  ^Nfaumee 
River,  about  a  mile  from  the  historic  fort.  In  that  building  in 
1884  a  select  school  was  kept  by  R.  A,  Minckwitz,  whose  repu- 
tation as  a  scholar,  linguist  and  scientist  was  more  than  local. 


328  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

In  later  years  pupils  instructed  in  that  school  gained  eminence 
at  Bowdoin  and  Cornell. 

Almost  incredible  changes  have  taken  place  about  the 
school  grounds.  The  campus  is  part  of  a  plain  considerably 
above  the  business  portion  of  Defiance.  Originally  it  was 
swampy  and  heavily  wooded,  reached  by  a  miry  wagon  road  in 
front.  There  are  now  a  few  forest  trees  studding  the  grounds, 
(the  latter  have  been  drained,)  a  street  well  paved,  and  a 
campus  carefully  laid  out  and  beautified. 

Normal  college  work  was  begun  in  September,  1885,  under 
Prof.  S.  F.  Hodge,  of  the  State  Normal  School,  Edinboro,  Pa., 
with  not  to  exceed  fifty  students.  Next  year  a  class  of  eight 
graduated  from  the  commercial  department.  Meantime  special 
funds  were  raised  with  which  a  small  dormitory  was  built,  but 
that  edifice  was  destroyed  by  fire  after  a  few  years'  use.  Under 
successive  presidents  the  College  made  fair  progress,  with  added 
departments  and  enlarged  attendance.  And  yet  there  was  a 
fatal  drawback — lack  of  endowment  and  support.  Rev.  J. 
R.  H.  Latchaw  began  seven  years'  presidency  in  1S9.5,  his 
incumbency  being  especially  marked  by  awakened  religious 
life  in  that  institution,  resulting  in  a  well-organized  working 
church.  He  also  came  into  fellowship  with  the  Christian 
denomination,  opening  a  way  for  the  present  Defiance  College. 
The  Christian  University  idea,  that  evoked  so  little  response 
in  1894,  had  only  been  slumbering,  and  now  awoke.  Pres- 
ident Latchaw  and  a  few  friends  fell  in  with  the  proposition 
and  agitated  for  removal  of  Defiance  College  to  Muncie,  Ind., 
where  it  might  become  incorporated  with  a  larger  undertaking. 

This  agitation  proved  a  blessing  to  Defiance  city  and 
College ;  for  influential  citizens  bestirred  themselves,  prevented 
removal,  began  to  realize  the  school's  distressing  financial 
needs,  and  contributed  as  they  had  not  hitherto.  Changes 
were  made  within  the  corporation,  which  became  Defiance 
College.  Since  1903  both  sexes  have  been  pursuing  the  same 
courses   of   study.       At  this  juncture  also  opportunity  was 


DEFIANCE    COLLEGE  329 

offered  the  Christian  denomination,  especially  in  Ohio,  to 
finance  the  College  and  assume  control.  To  a  new  board  of 
trustees  chosen  by  the  Oliio  State  Christian  Association  the 
former  board  relinquished  ri<j;lits  and  title,  so  that  in  effect  the 
State  Association  became  the  controlling  body,  signalizing  its 
assumi)tion  of  authority  soon  after  by  an  endowment  of  twenty 
thousand  dollars.  During  Dr.  Latchaw's  last  year,  Rev.  P.  W. 
McReynolds,  formerly  the  pastor  of  the  Christian  Church 
in  Marshall.  Mich.,  became  dean  of  the  faculty,  and  contributed 
administrative  strength  to  the  College.  With  a  new  order  of 
things  the  dean  was  elected  President.  He  has  succeeded  in 
interesting  business  men  and  people  of  means.  Hon.  Lyman 
Trowbridge,  a  leading  citizen  of  Defiance,  distinguished  himself 
by  benefactions  chiefly  embodied  in  a  dormitory  named  '^Trow- 
bridge  Hall."  When  that  structure  was  damaged  by  fire  in 
1907,  Hon.  Andrew  Carnegie  made  possible  its  repair  and 
doubled  size. 

Two  handsome  buildings  have  been  added  to  the  college 
gTOup — a  magnificent  men's  dormitory,  oi)ened  for  occupancy 
in  February,  1911,  the  gift  of  Mrs.  Ardella  B.  Engle,  of  Albany, 
X.  Y.,  in  memory  of  a  beloved  sister,  Mrs.  Anna  B.  Sisson ;  and 
a  president's  mansion  built  and  given  to  the  College  by  the 
family  of  the  late  Hon.  S.  T.  Sutphen,  distinguished  barrister, 
citizen,  and  president  of  the  board  of  trustees,  by  whose  wise 
counsel  and  friendship  Defiance  College  has  largely  benefitted. 
New  departments  have  been  added  as  demand  arose,  and  the 
student  attendance  has  increased,  high  standards  of  scholar- 
ship being  maintained.  Endowment  funds  have  accumulated 
until  the  College  and  affiliated  Biblical  Institute  represent  an 
investment  of  half  a  million  dollars. 

Religious  activity  is  very  pronounced,  as  might  be  expect- 
ed, and  offers  not  only  Christian  training  and  development,  but 
the  safeguards  usually  accompanying  right  religious  views  and 
practice.  In  this  respect  Defiance  is  in  line  with,  and  not 
an  exception  to,  all  denominational  schools  of  the  Christians. 


330  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

A  growing  college  eliiircb,  with  home  not  far  from  the  campus, 
is  a  valuable  adjunct  in  character  formation. 

The  men  who  have  successively  stood  at  the  head  of 
Defiance  College  and  its  forerunners  are  as  follows :  Prof.  R.  A. 
Minckwitz,  1884-1885;  Prof.  S.  F.  Hodge,  1885-1886;  A.  M. 
Vantine,  1886-1889 ;  James  A.  Eoyce,  1889-1890 ;  I.  M.  Tucker, 
Col.  A.  Grabowski,  J.  C.  McCauley,  1890-1905;  J.  R.  H. 
Latchaw,  D.  D.,  1895-1902;  P.  W.  McReynolds,  M.  A.,  D.  D., 
1902—. 

PRANKLINTON   CHRISTIAN   COLLEGE 

Like  other  schools  mentioned  in  the  foregoing  pages, 
Franklinton  has  made  forward  strides  since  1894.  Courses  of 
instruction  followed  are  academic,  normal,  English  prepara- 
tory, third  year  and  scientific  preparatory.  The  library  has 
about  two  thousand  volumes,  and  under  President  Long,  who 
has  been  connected  with  the  College  since  1891,  the  industrial 
feature  has  been  emphasized.  Domestic  science  and  printing 
have  been  taught  as  limited  facilities  would  allow.  The  pres- 
ent buildings  are  showing  their  age,  and  the  location  is  not 
ideal.  In  1905  a  farm  of  eighty-three  acres  was  purchased  a 
little  more  than  a  mile  north  of  town,  and  is  being  cleared  for 
cultivation,  already  yielding  a  good  profit  in  cotton.  P>rick 
have  been  manufactured  there;  and  it  is  hoped  that  eventually 
the  College  may  be  moved  to  that  farm  where  opportunity  for 
industrial  training  will  be  ample,  and  location  nearly  ideal. ^ 
From  its  inception  the  school  has  enrolled  more  than  four 
thousand  eight  hundred  students.  Only  a  small  per  cent,  have 
graduated  in  regular  course,  but  hundreds  of  common  school 
teachers  have  been  trained,  and  numerous  colored  churches 
have  been  supplied  with  intelligent  Christian  pastors  who  have 
organized  conferences  and  put  the  work  for  colored  people  into 
good  shape.       Franklinton  has  become  noted  for  its  worthy 

^  Since  this  was  written  the  Board  of  Control  has  heen  anthorized  to  sell  the 
old  buildings,  move  the  College  to  the  farm,  and  erect  new  buildings. 


AFFILIATION  IN  EDUCATION  331 

achievement  in  litting  teachers.  What  it  has  done  for  common 
education  and  for  the  colored  Christians  of  the  denomination 
many  times  over  pays  for  the  small  outlay  in  equipment  and 
sustentation  of  the  College.  Prof.  H.  E.  Long,  the  I'resident 
now,  is  a  man  of  liberal  culture  and  recognized  ability  as  an 
educator.  Mrs.  Long  is  in  every  way  her  husband's  equal,  and 
shares  with  him  the  burdens  and  honors  of  the  College.  Since 
1904  all  members  of  the  faculty  have  been  colored  men  and 
women. 

The  principals  and  presidents  have  been :  Rev.  H.  E.  Long, 
1878;  Rev.  George  Young,  18S0-1889;  Rev.  C.  A.  Beck,  1889- 
1890;  Rev.  J.  F.  Tilery,  1890-1891;  Rev.  N.  Del  McReynolds, 
1891-1897 ;  Rev.  Z.  A.  Roste,  1897-1904 ;  Rev.  H.  E.  Long,  1904—. 

AFFILIATION    IN    EDUCATION 

While  Prof.  J.  N.  Dales,  of  Kingston,  Ontario,  resided  in 
that  city  and  taught  in  the  government  schools,  he  also  encour- 
aged students  of  the  Christian  denomination  to  matriculate  at 
Queen's  University,  a  splendid  institution  that  had  rounded 
the  twentieth  century  with  a  much  enlarged  endowment  and 
equipment  of  brand  new  buildings.  Students  so  matriculating 
came  under  personal  supervision  and  encouragement  of  Prof. 
Dales,  and  formed  a  little  "colony."  By  this  means  their 
denominational  loyalty  was  accentuated  and  maintained,  and 
the  ministry  of  the.  Ontario  Conference  and  contiguous  terri- 
tory in  the  United  States  benefitted.  But  in  190G  a  more 
formal  affiliation  was  arranged  for  with  McMaster  University,^ 
by  which  Prof.  Dales  entered  its  faculty,  part  of  his  salary 
being  provided  for  by  McMaster,  and  part  by  the  Christians  of 
Ontario.  The  student  ''colony''  was  transferred  to  Toronto. 
That  arrangement  has  proved  beneficial,  and  students  from 
New  England  found  their  way  to  ^Mc^Nfaster,  as  well  as  students 
from  the  Dominion.      At  present,  however,  the  Christians  have 

*  A  Baptist  college.  In  Toronto,  which  ranks  high  In  the  Dominion,  and  is 
about  enlarging  its  plant. 


332  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

no  representative  on  McMaster's  faculty,  although  the  students 
continue  their  study  there. 

PALMER    UNIVERSITY 

When  Dr.  J.  R.  H.  Latchaw  left  the  presidency  of  Defi- 
ance College,  it  was  to  occupy  a  similar  position  as  head  of  a 
new  school  called  Palmer  University,  located  at  Muncie,  Ind. 
In  that  city  was  a  vacant  school  plant  ready  for  occupancy, 
and  some  inducements  were  otiered  for  establishment  in  Muncie 
of  the  Christian  University  which  had  been  in  the  air  since  1894. 
Rev.  Thomas  M.  McWhinney,  well  known  through  his  con- 
nection for  jears  with  the  church's  general  enterprises,  under- 
took to  raise  one  hundred  thousand  dollars  for  the  University, 
and  Hon.  Francis  A.  Palmer  was  sui)posed  to  be  pledged  for  a 
like  amount.  The  Muncie  plant  was  put  into  shape  for  use,  a 
competent  faculty  of  thirteen  professors  was  engaged,  and  in 
September,  1902,  Palmer  University  o])ened  for  business.  A 
new  dormitory  was  planned  and  an  ambitious  program  was 
laid  out  for  students.  Dr.  McWhinney,  perhaps  the  leading 
spirit  in  this  enterprise,  was  Chancellor.  The  quadrennial 
Convention  of  1902  heartily  endorsed  the  project.  But  lack 
of  projDer  maintenance,  and  Mr.  Palmer's  death,  put  an  end  to 
Palmer  University  after  a  few  month's  work. 

JIREH    COLLEGE 

This  latest  member  of  the  college  family  is  part  of  a  plan 
being  executed  by  a  colony  of  recent  settlers  in  southeastern 
Wyoming,  which  plan  includes  building  a  town,  church,  public 
school  and  college. 

In  1909  and  1910  College  Hall  was  erected,  being  so  far 
finished  that  a  successful  summer  school  was  conducted  in  it 
in  1910.  Unexpected  delays  have  occurred  in  completing  the 
building;  but  meantime  an  endowment  fund  has  been  started 
and  reached  hopeful  proportions. 

Rev.  George  C.  Enders,  M.  A.,  R.  D.,  was  elected  President 


JIREH    COLLEGE  333 

in  lUUO,  but  resigned  the  next  year.  Rev.  Wm.  Flanimer, 
M.  A,,  B.  D.,  succeeded  him,  and  made  a  successful  canvass  for 
endowment  funds.  In  1911  Rev.  1).  B.  Atkinson,  M.  A.,  B.  D., 
became  President,  and  the  College  is  now  in  actual  oiieration. 
An  excellent  faculty  has  been  chosen  from  members  of  the 
Jireh  colony,  and  instruction  is  otfered  in  seven  departments  of 
learning. 

The  change  of  attitude  toward  education,  since  Starkey 
Seminary  and  Antioch  College  were  founded,  is  notable  in  the 
denomination's  history.  Ceneral  appreciation  of  culture  and 
mental  discipline  is  everywhere  apparent;  and  nothing  has  con- 
tributed more  to  general  advancement  than  progress  in  educa- 
tion. And  yet  men  and  women  of  means  have  been  slow  to 
endow  the  various  schools  and  colleges  to  any  ade<]uate  degree. 


SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  XV 

Starkey  Seminary  Monthly.  October,  1900. 

Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  Vols.  LXXXVI-CII. 

Catalogues  of  the  Various  Schools  and  Colleges. 

Ceutonuial  of  Religious  Journalism,  edited  by  J.  P.  Barrett,  D.  D. 

Christian  Sun,  January  2.3,  1911. 

News  and  Observer,  Raleigh,  N.  C,  May  3,  1906. 

Christian  Missionary,  November,  1897. 

Special  Articles  contributed  for  this  work. 


CHAPTER  XVI 


CHArTER  XVI 

Conventions  and  General  Enterprises 
Since  1894 

THIS  chapter  must  confine  itself  to  events  comparatively 
recent  and  fresh  in  people's  memory.  No  history  can 
be  quite  true  and  logical,  written  upon  the  heels  of  events ; 
for  perspective  is  lost  and  the  actual  outworking  of  principles 
and  movements  cannot  be  seen  from  sufficient  distance  to  give 
them  proper  proportion.  And  a  mere  chronicle  of  events  is 
tasteless  and  pointless.  But  for  our  purpose  a  history  of 
sixteen  years  more  will  be  helpful,  since  certain  actions  and 
institutions  have  projected  themselves  past  the  century  mark, 
aad  reached  much  fuller  development  in  the  latest  period. 

the  AMERICAN  CHRISTIAN   CONVENTION 

From  Haverhill  to  Newmarket,  a  span  of  four  years,  the 
American  Christian  Convention  was  working  through  more 
departments  and  getting  general  interests  more  fully 
in  hand.  Indeed,  all  the  Convention's  recent  history  is  record 
of  efiforts  at  readjustment  and  greater  efficiency.  The  Conven- 
tion in  1898  was  confronted  with  some  doubt  as  to  its  corpo- 
rate standing.  At  Norfolk  a  thorough  revision  of  the  constitu- 
tion was  adopted,  together  with  articles  of  re-incorporation.^ 
One  noteworthy  improvement  was  creation  of  boards  to  handle 
the  various  departments'  business  (except  that  of  finance), 
and  the  inclusion  of  Franklinton  Christian  College  under  super- 
vision of  the  Board  of  Education.  This  last  arrangement  was 
later  abandoned.  Dcjjartment  enterprises  have  benefitted  by 
enlarged  counsel  and  su]iorvision.  At  Newmarket  the  Con- 
vention   was    almost    overwhelming    in    numbers,    and    so    at 

1  The  re-incorporation  occurred  May  21,   1900. 


338  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Norfolk;    hence    a    reduction    of    the    possible    number    of 
delegates. 

Presidents  of  all  denominational  schools,  district  conven- 
tions, state  associations  and  conferences,  officers  and  trustees 
of  the  Christian  Publishing  Association,  the  editor  of  the 
Herald  of  Gospel  Liherty,  presidents  of  woman's  boards, 
officers  of  the  Convention,  and  members  of  each  of  its  boards 
are  members  of  the  Convention  ex  officio^  in  addition  to  confer- 
ence delegates,  one  minister  and  one  layman  for  each  seven 
hundred  church  members  or  major  fraction  thereof. 

The  Convention  of  1910,  at  Troy,  Ohio,  was  the  greatest 
ever  held  by  the  denomination.  All  measures  adopted  in  open 
sessions  were  calculated  to  make  departments  effective.  Prob 
ably  no  convention  of  the  Christians  has  throbbed  Avith 
missionary  fervor  equal  to  that  at  Troy.  An  offering  for 
foreign  missions  of  five  thousand  three  hundred  fifty  dollars 
and  twenty-five  cents  was  the  greatest  single  missionary  offer- 
ing ever  gathered  by  the  Christians,  There  was  a  manifest 
desire  for  less  complexity  of  organization,  and  a  standing 
committee  was  raised  to  reduce  to  simple  harmony  the  double 
organization,  American  Christian  Convention  and  Christian 
Publishing  Association. 

Readers  will  observe  that  gradually  general  enterprises 
are  being  strengthened  through  enlarged  power  granted  to  the 
Convention.  Doubtless  the  denominational  constituency  has 
been  larger  in  former  years  than  now ;  but  never  has  the  denom- 
ination exerted  such  influence  as  at  present.  Fortunately, 
the  feeling  of  isolation  that  was  inevitable  in  years  of  dearth 
of  fellowship  with  other  denominations  is  giving  way,  and  the 
Christians  are  enlisting  in  inter-denominational  -"uterprises,  for 
moral  reform,  missions  at  home  and  abroad,  social  service, 
evangelism,  and  advancement  of  all  branches  of  church  work. 
Actual  cohesion  is  nearly  realized,  although  more  t)ian  one 
hundred  years  in  coming. 


SOUTHERN  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION  339 

SOUTHERN  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION 

The  Southern  Couvoiitioii  has  steadily  pushed  loi-ward  its 
churches  and  general  work.  Since  Elon  College  has  enabled 
churches  generally  to  have  thoroughly  trained  ministers,  and 
the  Convention  to  have  both  trained  ollicers  and  a  homogeneous 
constituency,  progress  has  been  rapid.  Elon  College  has 
proved  a  unifying  as  well  as  intellectual  and  spiritual  force. 
Success  attended  its  building  from  the  moment  the  Convention 
assumed  initiative. 

Christian  Orplmnage. — In  a  former  chapter  the  Children's 
work  was  mentioned,  which  was  first  advocated  in  1S70  by  Rev. 
J.  r.  Barrett,  and  was  represented  by  "The  Children's 
Corner"  in  the  Christian  Sun,  Rev.  Edwin  W.  Beale  editing  the 
''Corner."  Money  collected  by  that  means  was  put  into  home 
missions,  and  helped  to  establish  several  churches.  After 
188G,  by  vote  of  the  Convention,  the  Children's  work  helped  to 
support  several  ministerial  students.  Gradually  the  idea  of 
an  orphanage  emerged,  first  in  1802,  then  clearer  in  1804,  when 
a  committee  was  authorized  to  plan  for  such  a  charity  and 
report.  Solicitation  of  funds  was  begun  by  the  Convention 
following,  and  Rev.  James  L.  Foster  took  the  field  in  1807. 
Nine  years  later  he  reported  a  little  more  than  eight  thousand 
dollars  gathered.  It  had  been  slow  work,  but  the  fruitage 
was  sure.  The  committee,  Rev.  W.  S.  Long,  Rev.  James  L. 
Foster,  and  Cai)t.  W.  J.  Lee,  secured  a  charter,  jiurchased  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  twelve  acres,  and  erected  a  brick  building 
thirty-nine  by  one  hundred  sixteen  feet  long,  with  wing  twenty- 
four  by  thirty  feet.  Mr.  Foster  was  chosen  Superintendent, 
assuming  his  place  in  lOOG.  The  building  will  accommodate 
fifty  cliildren.  I>y  careful  management  the  farm  has  been  well 
stocked  and  greatly  imjiroved,  much  work  being  done  by  older 
orjjhans.  All  the  boys  and  girls  have  Christian  nurture  and 
home   influences,   excellent    schooling   and    church    privileges. 


340  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

The  Orphanage  is  ver}-  pleasantly  located,  south  of  and  not  far 
from  Elon  College.^ 

Christian  Sun. — This  paper  was  a  private  enterprise  until 
the  Southern  Convention  met  in  1904.  At  that  date  the  Con- 
vention purchased  paper  and  business,  and  elected  Rev.  J.  O. 
Atkinson  as  editor.  The  place  of  publication  has  several 
times  been  changed,  but  the  organ  has  steadily  advocated  the 
Convention's  cause,  and  as  steadily  gained  in  usefulness  and 
circulation.  Progress  of  the  Christians,  South,  is  largely 
attributed  to  the  Sun. 

Sunday-scliool  Progress. — Sunday-schools  gained  adher- 
ence in  the  South  somewhat  later  than  in  other  sections ;  but 
latterly  they  have  received  increasing  attention,  various  con- 
ferences holding  conventions  within  their  own  boundaries, 
resulting  in  rapid  development  of  Sunday-school  ideas  and 
work.  The  Young  People's  WorTx'er,  issued  at  Richmond,  Va., 
has  become  mouthpiece  of  both  schools  and  the  Christian 
Endeavor  movement.  Convention  authorized  a  committee  to 
prepare  and  publish  teacher  training  text-books.  Two  vol- 
umes have  recently  been  published,  both  accepted  by  the  Inter- 
national Sunday  School  Association,  as  meeting  the  required 
standard  for  such  training  work. 

Young  People's  Societies. — Multiplication  of  Christian 
Endeavor  Societies  was  endorsed  by  Convention  in  1906,  and 
has  later  been  pushed,  much  to  the  profit  of  churches.  Lead- 
ers of  the  young  people  are  enthusiastic  in  participating  in 
state  and  more  restricted  conventions. 

Missionary  Organization. — It  would  be  ditficult  to  find  a 
people  who  have  more  persistently  planted  new  churches  and 
spread  into  new  territory.  The  local  conferences  have  been  so 
engaged  almost  from  their  organization,  and  systematically 
since  about  1872.  During  the  Convention  of  1892  a  general 
society  known  as  the  "Christian  Missionary  Association"  was 
organized,  with  annual  memberships,  to  further  extension  in 

^See  Chris.  Sun,  February  22,  1911. 


NEW  ENGLAND  CHRISTIAN  CONVENTION      34l 

tlie  South.  Especial  emphasis  was  placed  on  entering  cities, 
where  quite  a  number  of  promising  churches  have  been  estab- 
lished. This  larger  su[»ervision  has  not  lessened  conference 
efforts.  But  because  of  the  large  territory  covered,  and  the 
cost  of  gathering  for  general  missionary  conventions,  the  Asso- 
ciation has  been  resolved  into  several  smaller  conference  bodies 
organized  similarly  and  for  continuance  of  the  work. 

Any  adequate  history  of  the  Southern  Christian  Convention 
is  a  recital  of  successful  undertakings.  Through  institutions 
the  cause  has  been  made  pernmnent.  Seven  conferences  now 
compose  the  Convention,  embracing  two  hundred  churches  and 
over  twenty  thousand  members.  A  Sunday-school  enrollment 
of  approximately  fifteen  thousand  is  reported. 

NEW   ENGLAND   CHRISTIAN    CONVENTION 

Recent  Ventures. — Money  in  large  sums  has  been  invested 
in  city  churches  to  good  advantage.  However,  progress  has 
been  difficult.  There  has  been  a  decline  in  a  number  of 
churches,  and  especially  because  the  Christians  were  a  rural 
people  in  the  East  as  in  the  West.  In  recent  years  two 
expedients  were  tried  to  recoup  lost  ground.  In  the  year 
1900  a  weekly  journal  named  Christian  Messenger  was  estab- 
lished. An  editorial  board  and  publishing  agent  guided  the 
paper's  course  during  its  six  years'  existence.  Rev.  C.  J. 
Jones  was  elected  its  first  editor-in-chief,  but  did  not 
serve  long.  New  Bedford,  ]Mass.,  was  the  place  of  publication. 
When  the  constituency  relied  upon  for  support  did  not  ade- 
quately provide,  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Lihertij  took  over  the 
subscription  list.  The  paper  met  a  need  and  acquitted  itself 
creditably:  but  it  could  not  live  as  a  beggar. 

About  the  time  of  this  journalistic  venture,  a  field  secre- 
tary was  appointed  to  travel  in  New  England  to  weld  together 
the  loosely  organized  churches,  and  to  strengthen  weaker  ones. 
The  late  Rev.  M.  W.  Borthwick  did  memorable  work  in  that 
capacity,   and   was   later   succeeded   by   Rev.   A.    H.   Morrill, 


342  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

But  after  three  or  four  jears  the  secretaryship  was  abandoned. 
Very  little  new  territory  has  been  acquired  by  the  New  England 
Convention  in  recent  years. 

LOCAL   CONFERENCES 

As  in  the  preceding  period,  there  have  been  man.\  readjust- 
ments among  local  conferences.  Some  territoi'y  has  been 
better  occupied,  and  some  new  territory  has  been  gained.  New 
conferences  were  organized  in  Northern  Texas,  Indian  Terri- 
tory (including  some  Texas  churches),  Maine  (combining 
Eastern  and  Central  Conferences),  Northeastern  Ohio,  South- 
western Pennsylvania,  West  Virginia,  Oklahoma,  Western 
North  Carolina,  Southwestern  Missouri  (Ozark  region),  West- 
ern Washington,  Mouse  River  country  in  North  Dakota,  the 
Ohio  Valley;  and  readjustments  resulted  in  new  conferences 
in  Northwestern  Ohio,  and  perhaps  other  sections.  In  general 
conferences  have  become  more  effective  and  better  organized, 
more  addicted  to  business  and  less  given  to  oratory.  Many 
pages  might  be  given  to  interesting  conference  sketches;  but 
the  limited  scope  of  this  work  precludes  that  possibility.  Some 
conferences  are  as  distinctive  as  individuals,  and  throughout 
the  denomination  their  names  are  usually  coupled  with  their 
distinctive  traits. 

The  Ontario  Christian  Conference,  in  Canada,  bears  a 
strong  individuality  in  all  its  work.  Thoroughly  homogeneous 
and  coherent,  sturdy  and  steadfast  in  position,  the  Ontario 
Christians  press  their  own  cause  in  their  own  way.  They  are 
strictly  immersionists  as  regards  baptism,  ''progressive  con- 
servatives" in  theology.  Most  of  their  ground-gaining  expan- 
sive efforts  were  prior  to  1850,  when  there  were  two  conferences 
in  the  Province  and  considerable  activity  among  churches. 
Since  that  time  comparatively  few  churches  have  been  formed, 
although  the  later  few  are  very  substantial  and  promising. 
This  conference  has  conducted  home  mission  work  within  its 
own  borders  systematically  for  a  number  of  years.      Churches 


COLORED  CHRISTIAN  CONFERENCES  343 

have  been  pastorated  and  much  of  the  time  every  church  has 
had  pastoral  care,  a  very  coninieiulable  feature  in  church  work. 
Iteaders  of  tliis  Iiistory  will  recall  that  men  from  New  York 
and  New  England  went  across  the  Canadian  line  and  assisted 
in  founding  the  denomination  in  the  Provinces.  Eventually, 
however,  a  very  strong,  capable  ministry  grew  up  in  Ontario 
— men  who  were  trained,  men  who  could  lead,  men  who  could 
be  relied  upon.  The  cause  immediately  responded  to  their 
efforts.  Some  account  of  attempts  to  found  papers  in  the 
Canadian  Conference  has  been  given,  including  the  final  estab- 
lishment, in  January,  1890,  of  the  Christian  Magazine,  now 
called  the  Christian  Tangiiard.  Establishment  of  this  paper, 
together  with  an  affiliation  educational  effort,  and  founding  of 
two  or  three  strong  home  mission  churches,  has  given  the 
Canadian  Christians  a  new  impulse. 

COLORED  CHRISTIAN  CONFERENCES 

A  new  conference  of  colored  churches  was  organized  in 
1909,  in  North  Carolina,  called  Lincoln  Colored  Christian  Con- 
ference. During  the  years  of  this  period  progress  continued 
in  church  growth,  education,  effective  work  for  moral  reforms 
and  general  uplift  of  the  colored  i)eople.  Several  attempts 
have  been  made  at  journalism  among  them.  In  the  nineties,  a 
paper  was  published  at  Newport  News,  Va.,  called  Christian 
Visitor.  At  Franklinton,  N.  C,  two  papers,  called  respectively 
Christian  Ark  and  Christian  Monitor ,  were  published  for  some 
time.  In  1909  The  Echo  was  begun  at  Graham,  North 
Carolina,  issued  monthly  under  supervision  of  a  board  of 
directors.  Rev.  J.  C.  Core  and  Rev.  J.  H.  McBroom  editors. 
About  six  months  earlier,  the  Union  Christian  Star  was  estab- 
lished at  Henderson,  North  Carolina,  also  a  monthly,  edited 
by  Rev.  J.  A.  Henderson  and  assistants,  being  organ  of  the 
Afro-Christian  Convention.  In  1908  union  was  effected  be- 
tween the  Afro-Christian  Convention  and  the  colored  Methodist 
Protestants,  South,  the  name  assumed  after  union  being  "Afro- 


344  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Union  Christian  Convention."      But  the  churches  united  seem 
to  have  fallen  back  to  their  respective  denominations. 

Numerical  Increase. — Latest  statistics  give  one  hundred 
twenty-four  churches,  one  hundred  fourteen  ministers,  eight 
thousand  five  hundred  members.  This  shows  some  increase 
over  government  census  figures  published  in  190G,  at  which 
time  only  seven  thousand  five  hundred  forty-five  members  were 
reported.  The  government  also  enumerated  eighty-eight  Sun- 
day-schools with  four  thousand  pupils,  ninety-one  church  edi- 
fices, valued  at  sixty-nine  thousand  five  hundred  five  dollars, 
with  only  two  thousand  four  hundred  sixty  dollars  debt.  With- 
in a  few  years  church  properties  have  been  added  which  would 
increase  totals  above  named. 

South  American  Mission. — In  the  year  1909,  Revs.  S.  A. 
Howell  and  N.  E.  Higgs,  of  Virginia,  were  commissioned  by 
their  Convention  to  organize  a  Christian  work  for  some  years 
in  progress  in  British  Guiana,  South  America.  That  work 
largely  grew  out  of  efi'orts  by  Joseph  A.  Johnson,  of  Albuoys- 
town,  a  part  of  the  city  of  Georgetown,  County  of  Demerara. 
British  Guiana.  Proceeding  to  South  America,  Mr.  Howell 
and  Mr.  Higgs  inspected  the  work  begun,  organized  three 
churches,  ordained  Mr.  Johnson,  licensed  five  preachers,  con- 
stituted a  Demerara  Christian  Conference,  formed  a  West 
Indian  Christian  Church  in  the  Barbadoes  Islands,  thus  begin- 
ning a  larger  work  which  should  become  part  of  the  Afro-Chris- 
tian Convention.  The  colored  churches  and  conferences  have 
not  yet  realized  their  strength  and  ability,  but  many  signs 
indicate  that  greater  prosperity  lies  just  before  them. 

HOME   MISSIONS 

Until  1886,  when  the  Mission  Board  became  thoroughly 
organized,  home  missions  had  the  right  of  way.  In  former 
chapters  we  have  traced  home  mission  enterprises  and  growth, 
showing  a  large  amount  of  activity.  We  have  also  given  some 
account  of  what  was  formerly  called  the  Children's  Mission, 


HOME    MISSIONS  345 

which  began  organized  home  mission  work,  with  its  center  in 
Dr.  Watson's  study.  But  with  the  Mission  Board's  organiza- 
tion, the  Children's  Mission  lessened  its  activity'  and  gi'adnally 
began  to  disappear,  finally  losing  all  its  interests  in  the  Mission 
Board  when  that  was  incorporated  in  1898. 

Home  Mission  Activity. — Few  people  realize  how  much 
home  mission  activity  there  was  in  those  years.  First,  the 
Mission  Board  was  starting  churches  and  Sunday-schools 
through  home  missionarj'  pastors,  using  general  mission 
funds;  secondly,  there  were  conference  missionary  societies  at 
work  within  conference  bounds,  establishing  new  churches  and 
furnishing  pastors  for  otherwise  pastorless  churches;  third, 
there  were  district  organizations,  like  the  New  England  Con- 
vention, which  operated  through  its  co-ordinate  Missionary 
Society,  and  the  Southern  Christian  Convention,  latterly  work- 
ing through  its  Missionary  Association ;  fourth,  there  were  con- 
ference women's  boards  after  1890,  promoting  home  missionary 
interests,  and  gathering  home  mission  funds  for  general  home 
missionary  work ;  fifth,  there  were  auxiliary  or  local  missionary 
societies  articulated  to  the  conference  woman's  boards.  Dur- 
ing all  these  years  money  was  being  raised  in  response  to  calls 
emanating  from  the  general  Convention  ofificers,  or  from  con- 
ference authorities,  supplemented  by  money  raised  through  the 
woman's  boards  and  missionary  associations.  Children's  Day 
had  come  to  be  thoroughly  established  as  a  home  mission  day, 
when  funds  were  gathered  especially  for  home  mission  enter- 
prises. In  sketches  of  the  New  England  Convention  and 
Southern  Christian  Convention  enough  has  already  been  said 
to  indicate  the  range  of  other  local  missionary  work,  A  little 
more  should  be  said  of  the  general  home  missionary  work. 

Forces  mid  Fields. — From  1878  to  1882  the  average  home 
missionary  force  employed  was  twenty-three  men,  who  worked 
in  many  different  states  of  the  Union  as  follows:  Maine, 
Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illinois, 
Nebraska,  Kansas,  Virginia,  North  Carolina,  West  Virginia, 


346  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Kentucky,  Missouri,  Texas,  and  Ontario  Province  in  Canada. 
Home  mission  funds  for  this  quadrennium  amounted  to  a  little 
more  than  six  thousand  dollars.  From  1882  to  188(3  there  were 
twenty-two  missionaries  in  the  field,  operating  in  the  states 
above  mentioned,  with  the  addition  of  Iowa,  South  Dakota 
and  Massachusetts.  These  missionaries,  during  the  first  eight 
years,  had  gathered  one  hundred  four  churches,  established 
one  hundred  thirty-seven  Sunday-schools,  and  enrolled  five 
thousand  three  hundred  six  church  members.  The  total  funds 
received  for  the  quadrennium  closing  1886  were  ten  thousand 
nine  hundred  four  dollars  and  forty -eight  cents.^  For  the 
quadrennium  closing  1890,  home  mission  funds  received 
amounted  to  almost  seventeen  thousand  dollars.  The  average 
missionary  force  kept  at  work  was  twenty-two,  in  eighteen 
states ;  although  all  told  nearly  seventy  different  workers  served 
the  home  mission  cause.  No  new  states  were  entered  during 
this  period.  For  the  next  four  years  the  home  missionary  force 
averaged  about  as  formerly,  and  gathered  three  thousand  six 
hundred  members  into  churches.  The  funds  had  grown  to 
nearly  seventeen  thousand  three  hundred  dollars.  After 
another  four  years  we  find  that  forty-two  different  points  had 
been  aided  with  home  mission  funds,  two  thousand  six  hundred 
five  having  been  received  into  churches,  and  that  work  under 
supervision  of  conferences  was  being  fostered.  About  this 
time  the  Osage  Conference,  in  Missouri,  the  Northern  Texas, 
Northwestern  Arkansas,  Iowa  and  Kansas  State  Conferences, 
together  with  some  older  organizations,  were  being  helped  in 
planting  churches  within  their  bounds.  In  October,  1902, 
home  mission  funds  for  four  years  had  amounted  to  twenty 
thousand  five  hundred  dollars,  which  money  had  been  invested 
in  twenty-two  states  or  territories,  aiding  forty-six  mission 
points,  resulting  in  forty-six  organized  churches  and  thirty 
Sunday-schools,  and  enrollment  of  one  thousand  one  hundred 

*  See  Convention  minutes. 


HOME    MISSIONS  347 

ninety-six  church  members.  Two  new  conferences  had  grown 
out  of  this  missionary  planting. 

Into  the  City. — About  this  time  insistent  demands  were 
made  that  more  city  work  should  be  undertaken.  In  response 
to  that  demand,  during  the  quadrennium  closing  190(5,  fourteen 
cities  of  more  than  fifteen  thousand  inhabitants  had  been 
entered,  five  of  them  state  or  i)rovincial  capitals,  and  work  had 
been  prosecuted  in  twenty  different  states.  Church  members 
gathered  in  this  quadrennium,  one  thousand  six  hundred 
thirty-two;  churches  organized,  twenty-eight;  Sunday-schools 
organized,  forty-two.  The  work  continued  at  the  same  rate 
during  the  closing  quadrennium  of  this  period,  except  that 
missionary  funds  had  very  much  increased.  Figures  have 
been  given  in  this  brief  survey  to  afford  readers  definite  data 
regarding  the  ])rogress  of  home  missions,  so  far  as  the  Mission 
Board  and  the  American  Christian  Convention's  home  mission- 
ary work  were  concerned.  However,  many  of  the  points  aided 
were  also  conference  missionary  stations,  and  received  aid 
from  both  sources. 

In  the  Far  West. — Between  1898  and  1902  a  considerable 
work  was  begun  in  the  state  of  Colorado,  including  such  points 
as  Garfield.  Antler,  Rifle,  Divide  Creek  and  perhaps  a  few  other 
school-house  appointments.  For  some  time  Rev.  T.  W. 
Howard  conducted  the  Colorado  mission.  Meantime,  in  the 
state  of  Washington,  Rev.  Harvey  Fry,  a  man  well  along  in 
years,  but  still  hale  and  vigorous,  was  traveling  from  place  to 
place  through  the  virgin  forests  of  that  state,  teaching  and 
organizing  churches,  the  result  of  which  was  a  conference  in  the 
state  of  Washington.  The  conference  in  northwestern  North 
Dakota  was  due  chiefly  to  the  Mission  Board's  plans  for  enlarg- 
ing denominational  borders.  A  number  of  members  of  Chris- 
tian churches  had  settled  in  North  Dakota  and  created  some 
interest  in  the  Christian  cause.  Mrs.  Vina  B.  Wilgus  had  been 
preaching  there  and  organized  a  church.  Through  her  repre- 
sentations the  Mission  Board  saw  large  possibilities,  and  sent 


348  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

a  missionary  to  that  field,  also  giving  Mrs.  Wilgus  an  appoint- 
ment. A  little  group  of  cliurches  resulted,  which  were  soon 
organized  into  a  conference  called  Mouse  River,  and  later 
Northwestern  North  Dakota  Christian  Conference. 

The  story  of  the  Christians  in  Arkansas,  Oklahoma,  Indian 
Territory  and  parts  of  Texas  adjoining  Indian  Territory,  is 
very  interesting.  Heroic  work  was  done  by  pioneer  preachers 
in  those  sections.  One  may  consult  files  of  the  Herald  of 
Gospel  Liberty  and  Christian  Missionary  for  reports  of  men  at 
the  front.  It  is  sufficient  here  to  show  how  much  was  being 
done  in  actual  home  missionary  work,  which  was  partly  lost  to 
view  because  the  Mission  Board  and  its  work  were  attracting 
greater  attention. 

In  Canada. — A  little  should  be  said  perhaps,  of  the  Ontario 
Christian  Conference.  By  its  agency,  assisted  with  general 
mission  funds,  a  church  was  planted  in  the  city  of  Toronto,  in 
the  year  1899,  where  a  neat  little  chapel  has  been  erected,  and 
a  good  constituency  has  been  found.  Five  years  later  an 
excellent  church  was  planted  at  Stouffville.  These  points, 
with  other  weaker  churches,  have  been  jealously  fostered.  No 
conference  has  been  more  generous  with  its  home  mission 
charges  than  this  conference.  More  recently,  co-operating 
again  with  the  general  Mission  Board,  a  work  was  undertaken 
in  Saskatchewan,  Canada,  with  the  intention  of  founding 
churches  in  that  new  and  rapidly  developing  country.  The 
Woman's  Board  has  been  a  very  strong  factor  in  this  conference 
for  creation  of  missionary  zeal,  and  raising  of  mission  funds. 

City  Cliurches  Built. — Churches  have  been  maintained  or 
established  during  the  past  thirty  years  in  probably  a  hundred 
different  towns  and  cities,  some  of  which  have  grown  very 
rapidly  and  added  much  strength  to  the  denomination.  Others 
have  not  fared  equally  well,  meeting  with  unforeseen  obstacles. 
We  may  indicate  the  following  home  mission  fields:  Augusta 
and  Bangor,  Maine;  Manchester,  New  Hampshire;  New  Bed- 
ford and  Fall  River,  Massachusetts ;  Toronto,  Canada ;  Newark 


nOME    MISSIONS  349 

and  Binghamton,  New  York;  Knoxville,  Erie  and  Lewisburg, 
Pennsylvania;  Norfolk,  F>erkley,  and  Newport  News,  in  Vir- 
ginia; Graham,  Kaleigh.  and  Greensboro,  in  North  Carolina; 
Marshall,  Michigan ;  Columbns,  Lima,  Springfield  and  Dayton, 
Ohio;  ;Muneie  and  Indianai)olis,  Indiana;  Beloit,  Wis.;  Urbana 
and  Danville,  111.;  Lake  City  and  Des  Moines,  Iowa;  St.  Louis 
and  St.  Joseph,  Missouri.  These  are  more  important  points, 
while  several  scores  of  smaller  towns  might  be  mentioned.  No 
means  are  at  hand  for  estimating  the  true  value  of  the  expendi- 
ture of  time,  money  and  effort  represented  by  churches  and 
conferences  in  the  foregoing  account.  That  the  denomination 
is  richer  none  can  doubt.^ 

Xeiccsf  Field. — The  newest  territorial  expansion  has  been 
by  the  "Wyoming  Colony,"  a  group  of  homesteaders  and  others 
who  located  in  Converse  County,  southeastern  Wyoming,  in 
1908.  A  well-defined  plan  has  characterized  this  colonization  : 
a  company  secured  land  for  a  town  site  and  platted  it  in  1908, 
fixing  the  initial  price  on  lots  at  a  figure  to  attract  desirable 
citizens.  The  homesteaders  round  about  are  interested  in  the 
town,  which  has  been  named  Jireh,  and  the  colony  seems  to 
have  well  established  itself. 

This  part  of  Wyoming  is  elevated,  with  atmosphere  dry 
and  invigorating,  and  cultivation  of  the  soil  is  by  the  "dry 
farming"  method. 

In  June,  1909,  the  Wyoming  Christian  Conference  was 
organized,  Rev.  D.  B.  Atkinson,  President,  Rev.  W.  A.  Free- 
man, Secretary.  Six  ministers  and  two  licentiates  were  en- 
rolled. One  organized  church  exists  in  Jireh ;  and  several 
Sunday-schools  have  been  maintained  at  nearby  points,  where 
the  various  ministers  conduct  Sunday  services.  A  grant  of 
missionary  funds  will  enable  Conference  to  systematize  its  work 
and  found  stable  churches. 

1  See  Ap.,  p.  391. 


350  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMII^ATION 

NEW  MISSIONARY  DEPARTURES 

Resuming  our  thread  of  narrative  at  the  denominational 
century  mark,  we  find  many  items  and  events  worthy  of  record ; 
but  details  cannot  here  be  enumerated.  There  have  been : 
increase  in  the  number  of  commissioned  missionaries,  growth 
within  each  field,  one  field  added,  development  of  mission 
schools,  great  missionarj^  gatherings  at  home,  and  change  in 
home  administration. 

A  home  for  missionaries  was  purchased  with  money  raised 
by  the  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  Conference,  in  Tokyo 
in  1895,  and  the  Mission's  headquarters  have  naturally  been 
located  there  since.  A  second  home  was  erected  in  Sendai, 
where  the  Frys  had  resided  several  years.  It  was  completed 
during  their  furlough  in  America  in  1902  and  1903 ;  but  when 
they  returned  to  Japan  they  located  at  Utsunomiya,  between 
Tokyo  and  Sendai,  and  hence  did  not  live  in  the  new  home. 
But  they  had  joy  in  building  a  third  missionary  residence  in 
the  strongly  anti-Christian  city  of  Utsunomiya  in  1905,  where 
they  still  reside  and  work.  The  second  church  building  was 
erected  in  Tokyo  in  1902,  and  a  third  in  Sendai  in  1909,  a  par- 
sonage accompanying  the  lattefr.  Urgent  reasons  demand 
small  church  buildings  in  several  other  cities  or  large  towns. 
The  Mission's  total  property  valuation  in  Japan  approximates 
fifteen  thousand  dollars.  More  property  might  have  been 
secured,  had  not  Japanese  laws  banned  ownership  by  foreigners 
until  quite  recently.  By  modification  of  laws,  holding  corpo- 
rations were  allowed,  and  the  Japan  Mission  formed  such  a 
corporation,  composed  of  missionaries  and  Japanese,  to  hold 
and  manage  property  above  described. 

Missionary  Recruits. — Further  recruits  for  the  field  were: 
Miss  Alice  M.  True,  of  Massachusetts,  1898;  Rev.  and  Mrs.  E. 
K.  McCord,  of  New  Hampshire,  1901 ;  Rev.  and  Mrs.  C.  P. 
Garman,  of  Ohio,  190G.  Four  regular  stations  are  now  occu- 
pied by  missionaries,  namely,  Tokyo,  Utsunomiya,  Sendai,  and 
Ishinomaki;  and  from  those  vantage  points  nearly  thirty  out- 


NEW  MISSIONARY  DEI'ARTURES  351 

stations  are  worked.  Thirteen  orjjanized  churches  have  been 
fjatliered  in  as  many  cities.  Thirty-four  Sunday-schools  are 
maintained  by  the  Mission  and  its  worl^ers,  enrolling  nearly 
twenty-five  hundred  members.  The  total  church  membership  in 
1911  was  eight  hundred  eighty.  One  congregation,  that  in 
Tokyo,  has  reached  the  point  of  self-support.  Five  Christian 
I']ndeavor  Societies  were  also  reported  in  1911.  The  Japan 
Christian  Conference  was  organized  in  1901,  officered  and  con- 
ducted b}^  Japanese  Christians.  Of  late  years  the  Conference 
has  manifested  considerable  strength  and  initiative. 

An  event  of  more  than  passing  moment  to  the  Japan  Mis- 
sion was  the  Mission  Secretary's  visit.  Secretary  J.  G.  Bishop 
and  Mrs.  Bishop  made  a  missionary  tour  in  1902,  inspect- 
ing the  field  and  assisting  in  various  ways.  Knowledge  gained 
by  actual  contact  with  Japanese  conditions  and  Christian 
workers  and  missionaries  has  been  of  inestimable  value  in  all 
subsequent  plans  for  the  Mission. 

Educational  Worlx. — When  Dr.  Woodworth  began  his 
second  term,  in  1903,  it  was  with  a  commission  to  develop  a 
training  school  for  Japanese  pastors.  He  modeled  largely 
after  the  Moody  Bible  Institute  of  Chicago,  and  conducted  the 
Tokyo  Bible  Training  School  in  the  missionary  residence, 
where  some  successful  pastors  have  been  trained.  For  a  time 
Bible  women  were  fitted  in  the  same  school ;  but  with  Miss 
Penrod's  withdrawal,  the  School  confined  its  attention  to  men. 
In  1907  a  dormitory  was  built  adjoining  the  mission  home,  by 
private  capital,  and  is  rented  to  the  Mission  as  a  home  for  theo- 
logical students. 

One  night  after  service  Dr.  Woodworth  and  a  Japanese 
student  stood  for  a  few  minutes  under  an  umbrella  in  the  rain, 
while  the  latter  was  urged  to  become  a  Christian.  That  con- 
vert was  Saburo  Koshiba,  one  of  two  elapanese  quite  well 
known  among  the  Christians  of  America ;  for  he  came  to  this 
country  and  spent  seven  years  acquiring  an  education,  first  at 
Union  Christian  College,  then  at  Oberlin  Seminary,  and  finally 


352  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

at  Yale  Divinity  School.  Upon  bis  return  to  Japan  in  1909 
he  was  engaged  on  the  faculty  of  the  Tokyo  Bible  Training 
School,  and  that  institution  broadened  its  curriculum  to  the 
usual  standard  and  became  Tokyo  Christian  Theological 
School,  with  a  regular  faculty  of  three  professors.  The  num- 
ber of  students  has  been  small,  because  few  Christian  young 
men  have  education  requisite  for  straight  theological  training. 
A  Girls'  School. — At  the  Quadrennial  Convention  of  1906 
was  present  Mrs.  Mina  Kitamura,  a  Christian  Japanese  woman 
who  had  been  in  this  country  several  years  receiving  an  educa- 
tion at  Union  Christian  and  Defiance  Colleges.  She  was  then 
ready  to  return  to  Japan  and  engage  in  teaching.  The  Con- 
vention caught  fire  when  a  Christian  girls'  school  for  Japan 
was  proposed,  raised  a  considerable  sum  of  money  for  Mrs. 
Kitamura's  return  to  her  native  land,  and  recommended  to  the 
Mission  Board  the  matter  of  schools  in  Japan.  Miss  Alice 
True,  missionary  to  Japan,  urged  forward  the  girls'  school 
idea,  and  later  raised  considerable  money  for  building  purposes. 
An  interested  layman  promised  a  good  sum  annually  toward 
school  support.  When  the  Mission  Board  convened  for  annual 
session  it  authorized  the  Japan  Mission  to  open  a  school  for 
girls,  a  very  modest  sum  of  money  being  provided.  Accord- 
ingly the  Utsunomiya  Christian  Girls'  School  was  opened 
April,  1907,  in  an  old  Japanese  house  in  Utsunomiya,  with 
four  pupils  and  three  Japanese  teachers,  Mrs.  Susie  V.  Fry 
being  principal.  Missionaries  of  another  denomination  with- 
drew from  the  city  the  next  year,  and  their  large  residence, 
partly  foreign  and  partly  Japanese,  was  secured  for  school  pur- 
poses. It  has  been  several  times  enlarged,  and  houses  now 
thirty-eight  people.  In  1911  school  attendance  was  about 
thirty-two  young  ladies.  No  one  could  have  prophesied  what 
an  evangelistic  power  this  school  would  develop ;  but  the  young 
ladies  conducted  eight  Sunday-schools  in  that  garrison  city, 
which  is  more  hostile  to  Christianity  because  large  numbers  of 
soldiers  live  there. 


NEW  MISSIONARY  DEPARTURES  353 

A  full  four  years'  academic  course  mapped  out  on  dis- 
tinctly Christian  lines  has  been  taught.  April  is  the  month  of 
school  beginnings  in  Japan.  However,  largely  for  financial 
reasons,  the  ^lission  Board,  at  its  session  in  October,  1011, 
decided  to  discontinue  the  school. 

A  Xcio  Mission  Field. — During  the  Newmarket,  Ontario, 
sessions  of  the  American  Christian  Convention,  an  Armenian 
named  Rev.  M.  G.  Alexanian  explained  the  desperate  needs  of 
his  people  growing  out  of  the  horrible  massacres  then  recently 
perpetrated  upon  them.  Considerable  numbers  of  Armenians 
were  refugees,  some  congregated  on  the  island  of  Cyprus.  For 
these  espeeialh'  Mr.  Alexanian  besought  missionary  aid,  and 
was  employed  to  travel  and  solicit  funds  with  a  view  to  opening 
missionary  work  among  them.  For  about  three  years  funds 
were  being  gathered,  and  then  the  Board  thought  to  undertake 
the  projected  mission.  However,  as  pressing  need  in  Cyprus 
had  passed,  thought  was  turned  toward  Armenia,  and  a  com- 
mittee waited  on  the  Secretaries  of  the  American  Board  of 
Commissioners  for  Foreign  Missions  to  learn  actual  needs  and 
conditions  in  Armenia.  It  appeared  unadvisable  for  the 
Christians,  with  exceedingly  limited  means,  to  enter  that  field. 
Rev.  H.  J.  Rhodes,  former  missionary  to  Japan,  and  Rev.  and 
Mrs.  D.  P.  Barrett,  of  Virginia,  were  already  under  missionary 
appointment.  An  extra  session  of  the  Board  was  called  at 
New  York,  and  after  mature  deliberation,  resolved  to  begin 
missionary  operations  in  Porto  Rico,  where  missions  were  then 
being  established,  the  island  having  two  years  before  come 
under  United  States  control.  Accordingly  a  farewell  service 
was  held  in  the  Christian  church  at  Brooklyn,  New  York,  and 
the  missionaries  sailed  away  for  Porto  Rico.  And  thus  was 
added  a  second  field  of  denominational  missionary  operations 
abroad. 

Mr.  Rhodes  came  home  at  the  end  of  a  year,  and  Rev.  T.  E. 
White,  of  North  Carolina,  and  Miss  Jennie  Mishler,  of  Illinois, 
were    sent    to    help    in    the    work.        The    field    apportioned 


354  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

to  the  Christians  lies  along  the  south  side  of  the  island,  from  a 
little  west  of  Ponce  to  a  point  eastward  between  Salinas  and 
Guaj^ama.  At  first  a  day  school  was  conducted  in  Ponce; 
but  the  rapid  advance  of  public  schools  made  missionary 
schools  of  grammar  grade  unnecessary;  and  since  that  effort 
has  been  directed  mostly  to  evangelistic  work. 

A  church  building  was  erected  in  Salinas  in  1907,  dedi- 
cated in  February  next  year.  A  neat  chapel  has  been  built  in 
in  Arus,  and  in  Santa  Isabel  the  mission  owns  a 
large  but  poor  building  which  furnishes  a  missionary  resi- 
dence, and  rooms  for  a  medical  dispensary,  and  for  religious 
services.  The  Porto  Rico  Christian  Conference,  organized 
in  1900,1  jjj^g  j^igQ  erected  a  little  chapel  in  Canas,  a  suburb  of 
Ponce;  while  the  people  of  Manzanilla  and  Las  Mareas 
have  co-operated  in  securing  thatched  buildings  where  Chris- 
tian services  are  held  at  stated  seasons.  The  Board's  property 
in  Porto  Rico  is  valued  at  about  eight  thousand  dollars.  Three 
stations  have  resident  missionaries.  Ponce,  Santa  Isabel,  and 
Salinas;  fifteen  outstations  have  services,  and  organized 
churches  exist  at  points  just  named,  and  Arus — four  in  all, 
with  one  hundred  eighty-three  members.  Eight  Sunday- 
schools  have  an  enrollment  of  five  hundred  or  more  members. 
Two  Christian  Endeavor  Societies  were  reported  in  1911.  The 
Mission  Secretary  has  thrice  visited  Porto  Rico  to  gather  infor- 
mation and  assist  in  the  work. 

Returns  for  effort  and  money  expended  in  that  island  have 
been  quick  and  surprising.  Probably  no  equal  expenditure  of 
effort  and  money  in  America,  by  the  denomination  has  brought 
results  comparable  with  achievements  in  Japan  and  Porto  Rico. 

Missionary  Conferences. — Turning  now  to  the  home  base, 
we  trace  events  briefly.  At  the  annual  Mission  Board  session, 
October,  1900,  Rev.  W.  H.  Denison,  Recording  Secretary, 
proposed  holding  an  international  missionary  conference,  to 
include  the  Christians  of  Canada  and  the  United  States.      This 

1  January  27,  1906.       Chris.  Miss.,  April,  1906. 


i 


NEW    PUBLISHING    PLANT  355 

proposal  was  favorably  regarded,  October  10,  19U1,  being  set 
for  oiMiuing  siuh  a  gathering.  A  committee  to  arrange  pro- 
gram and  other  details  was  selected,  and  membership  Avas 
defined.  Rev.  Ilorace  Mann,  pastor  at  Piqna,  Ohio,  and  his 
people  offered  to  entertain  the  conference,  and  their  tender  was 
accepted.  A  strong  program  was  prepared,  the  gathering  was 
widely  advertised  and  awakened  considerable  interest.  Com- 
plete success  crowned  the  First  International  Missionary  Con- 
ference of  the  Christians,  over  two  hundred  delegates  attending, 
who  represented  seven  colleges,  thirteen  states,  Ontario,  and 
Japan.      Large  audiences  were  present. 

Demand  seemed  to  require  a  second  Conference,  which 
was  accordingly  arranged  for  and  held  at  Farmland,  Indiana, 
beginning  October  12,  1904.  Delegations  and  audiences  were 
not  so  large  as  at  Piqua,  but  probably  the  actual  educational 
value  of  the  second  Conference  exceeded  that  of  the  first.  These 
two  popular  meetings  have  helped  in  awakening  missionary 
zeal  and  calling  attention  to  the  world's  need  of  evangelization. 

Board  Enlarged. — For  several  jears  the  burden  of  annual 
Mission  Board  sessions  had  been  felt  too  heavily,  and  enlarge- 
ment of  the  Board  was  desired.  The  Norfolk  quadrennial 
elected  nine  board  members,  thus  distributing  the  burden  Miore 
widely.  Four  years  later  Convention  elected  two  secretaries, 
one  to  look  after  church  home  missions,  the  other  to  look  after 
foreign ;  but  a  single  board  controls  both  kinds  of  work. 

Considering  how  late  the  denomination  launched  into 
missionary  work  in  earnest  and  systematically,  we  must  i^ro- 
nounce  the  progress  made  quite  satisfactory. 

NEW  PUBLISHING  PLANT 

After  the  old  publishing  plant  had  been  disposed  of,  The 
Christian  Publishing  Association  began  an  era  of  prosperity, 
during  which  its  business  increased,  and  its  financial  standing 
and  integrity  were  recovered.  Its  business  was  variously 
housed  in  Davton.      At  last  a  building  ow^ned  bv  the  Assoeia- 


356  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

tion  was  determined  upon.  Propositions  from  cities  other 
than  Dayton  were  alluring  and  were  considered,  but  finally 
in  the  year  1904  the  trustees  appointed  Hon.  O.  W.  Whitelock, 
Judge  I.  H.  Graj',  and  Rev.  D.  M.  Helfenstein,  a  com- 
mittee to  select  and  purchase  a  site  and  thereon  to  erect  a  new 
building.  In  April  they  bought  a  lot  at  the  intersection  of 
Fifth  and  Ludlow  Streets,  Dayton.  Soon  afterward  plans  for 
a  building  were  secured  and  erection  of  a  structure  begun, 
embracing  four  stories  and  a  basement.  Jasper  N.  Hess, 
Publishing  Agent,  superintended  construction.  The  Publish- 
ing Association  and  Mission  Department  of  the  Convention 
are  quartered  on  the  fourth  floor;  the  Convention  Secretary 
has  his  rooms  on  the  second  floor ;  and  the  printing  department, 
in  which  the  Association  has  a  partnership,  occupies  most  of 
the  basement.  Renters  occupy  three  stores  and  several 
office  suites.  This  new  building  was  dedicated  June  22,  1905, 
excursions  being  run  to  Dayton  from  different  directions  and 
the  occasion  being  made  one  of  great  rejoicing.  Each  suc- 
ceeding year  shows  the  wisdom  of  building.  Business  is  stead- 
ily increasing.  January  1,  1912,  the  Association's  net  assets 
were  |137,063.83.  The  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  the  Chris- 
tian Missionary,  Sunday-school  papers  and  lesson  quarterlies, 
are  regularly  printed  here;  and  a  large  assortment  of  books, 
Bibles,  and  Sunday-school  supplies  is  carried  in  stock. 

Thus  the  interests  of  the  Eastern  Christian  Publishing 
Association  and  the  Western  Christian  Book  Association  have 
grown  into  the  much  larger  business  of  The  Christian  Pub- 
lishing Association. 

FRANCIS   ASBURY    PALMER   FUND 

Francis  A.  Palmer  associated  a  number  of  persons  with 
himself,  and  in  1897  they  formed  a  corporation,  under  laws  of 
the  State  of  New  York,  called  ''Francis  Asbury  Palmer  Fund," 
for  the  following  purposes :  ''For  the  advancement  and  support 
of    home    missions    and    educational    institutions;    to"  assist 


AGED  MINISTERS'  HOME  357 

evaiig:elical   eluirclies,  missions,  schools  and   associations;   to 
assist  Christian  ministers  and  workers;  to  help  needy  persons 
desiring  to  become  Christian  ministers,  teachers,  or  workers 
to  acquire  a  suitable  training  and  education,  and  to  establish 
in  colleges  and  schools  Bible  teachers  and  lectures;  and  to 
acquire,   to  hold,  and   to  dispose  of  such  personal  and  real 
property  as  the  said  purposes  of  the  corporation  shall  require." 
The  corporation's  operations  were  to  be  principally  conducted 
in  the  State  of  New  York,  but  might  be  extended  throughout 
the  United  States  and  Dominion  of  Canada.       In  New  York 
City  was  to  be  said  corporation's  principal  office  and  a  board 
of  fifteen  directors  was  to  conduct  business,  Mr.  Palmer  himself 
being  one.      Money  and  property  administered  were  in  the  first 
instance  donated  by  :Mr.  Palmer;  and  at  his  death,  in  1902, 
about  one  million  five  hundred  thousand  dollars  was  left  for 
the  Fund  by  his  will.      Litigation  reduced  that  sum  to  a  little 
less  than  a  million  dollars,  which  has  for  several  years  been 
yielding  an  income  judiciously  distributed  for  purposes  des- 
ignated.      Palmer    Institute-Starkey    Seminary    has    been    a 
beneficiary,  and  other  colleges  and  enterprises  have  had  sub- 
stantial help.      The  board  of  trustees  was,  by  the  founder's  will, 
divided   between    the   Christian    denomination,    which    has    a 
majority,  and  other  denominations. 

AGED   ministers'   HOME 

This  benevolent  enterprise  is  directly  under  care  of  the 
American  Christian  Convention,  and  hence  deserves  a  place  in 
history.  The  governing  body  is  styled  "Board  of  Control," 
and  is  elected  quadrennially. 

Rev.  P.  R.  Sellon  and  his  wife  Lois  L.  conceived  the  idea 
of  an  Aged  Ministers'  Home,  but  did  not  carry  it  into  effect 
at  once.  Affer  Mr.  Sellon's  death,  Mrs.  Sellon  l)egan 
active  effort  with  intention  of  making  the  home  a  memorial 
to  her  late  husband.  She  agitated  the  matter  in  Castile,  N.  Y.. 
her   home,    and    at    conference   sessions   held    in    New    York. 


358  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Finally  a  few  interested  parties  met  at  West  Henrietta,  a  few 
miles  south  of  Rochester,  at  the  home  of  James  S.  Frost, 
in  March,  1894,  organized,  adopted  by-laws,  and  elected  officers 
for  a  holding  corporation.  Rev.  Latham  Coffin  was  chosen 
President,  Rev.  B.  S.  Crosby,  Secretary,  and  James  S.  Frost, 
Treasurer.  Mrs.  Sellon  continued  to  raise  funds,  and  in  1895 
a  little  more  than  sixteen  hundred  dollars  was  in  hand.  F.  A. 
Palmer,  who  figures  so  often  in  denominational  history,  gave 
an  endowment  of  ten  thousand  dollars. 

The  corporation  then  purchased  property  in  Castile  and 
fitted  up  a  home,  the  same  year  receiving  Rev.  B.  S.  Fanton  and 
wife  as  the  first  inmates.  Mr.  Palmer  again  assisted  in  1897, 
making  some  needed  improvements.  Again,  two  years  later, 
an  addition  had  to  be  built  to  the  home,  and  similar  aid  was 
forthcoming.  Mrs.  Sellon  herself  acted  as  matron  until  her 
death,  and  since  that  time  usually  a  husband  and  wife  are 
employed  to  care  for  the  home  and  its  inmates.  Up  to  1908 
eight  deserving  elderly  people  had  passed  their  declining  days 
in  the  retirement  and  delightful  home  atmosphere  of  this 
shelter. 

There  being  no  longer  a  trustee  resident  in  Castile,  it  was 
decided  to  remove  to  Lakemont,  New  York,  a  place  suitable  for 
many  reasons.  Property  was  purchased  close  to  the  old 
Seminary  buildings,  which  is  but  a  few  minutes'  walk  from  the 
church,  and  which  overlooks  Palmer  Institute-Starkey  Semi- 
nary, beautiful  Seneca  Lake,  and  equally  beautiful  fertile 
farms  stretching  away  miles  eastward  from  the  eastern  lake 
shore.  Hardly  anything  is  lacking  now  to  make  this  home 
desirable,  except  the  presence  of  relatives  and  old  familiar 
surroundings. 

Small  additions  have  been  made  to  its  endowment,  but  the 
home  is  not  quite  supported  by  its  income.  Ajiplicants  for 
admission  must  be  ministers  in  good  standing  (no  denomina- 
tional lines  being  drawn),  who  have  been  in  the  ministry  for 
twenty  years  and  are  fifty  years  of  age.      Ministers'  wives  and 


RELIGIOUS  JOURNALISM'S  FIRST  CENTURY     359 

widows  may  also  gain  admission.  An  admission  fee  of  one 
hundred  fifty  dollars  for  each  man,  and  one  hundred  dollars 
for  each  woman,  is  required.  \XHh  increased  funds  the  Aged 
Ministers'  Home  should  continue  its  loving  ministrations  to  an 
increased  number  of  otherwise  homeless  but  deserving  saints. 

RELIGIOUS    JOURNALISM^S    FIRST    CENTURY 

The  printer's  art  has  ramified  into  modern  life  to  almost 
inconceivable  extent  and  detail.  Journalism  has  leaped  into 
every  sphere  and  exploited  every  phrase  of  life  and  thought. 
Religion,  and  especially  the  Christian  religion,  has  profited 
immensely  by  printing  and  the  journalist's  profession.  A 
century  of  religious  journalism  has  refiected  and  directly  pro- 
moted transformations  in  the  church  and  manner  of  expression 
of  Christianity  quite  as  wonderful  in  their  way  as  have  been 
witnessed  in  scientific  and  economic  movements.  Perhaps  it 
is  more  wonderful  still  that  as  an  idea  the  religious  newspaper 
was  conceived  and  realized  but  a  trifle  more  than  one  hundred 
years  ago.  Hence  a  double  anniversary  occurred  in  1908 — 
the  centenary  anniversary  of  religious  journalism  and  of  the 
first  religious  newspaper.  Foregoing  pages  have  narrated  the 
founding  and  early  years  of  fitful  migratory  life  of  the  Herald 
of  Gospel  Lihcrfj/,  Elias  Smitli's  shaft  of  truth  and  org;in  of 
propagandism,  first  issued  and  sent  on  its  mission  from  Torts- 
mouth,  New  Hampshire,  September  1,  1808;  and  have  traced  its 
course  down  the  century.  Why  it  survived,  while  so  many 
other  similar  organs  i)orished  or  were  absorbed,  let  the  knowing 
exx>lain. 

Recognizing  that  so  uncommon  a  birthday  anniversarv 
should  be  duly  observed,  The  Christian  Publishing  Association 
arranged  to  celebrate  the  completion  of  one  hundred  years  of 
religious  journalism  and  a  like  number  of  life  for  the  Herald 
of  Gospel  Liherti/,  by  ajjpropriate  exercises  in  modern  Ports- 
mouth, a  century  removed  from  persecutions,  mobs,  attempted 


360  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

violence  and  blazing  hatred  witnessed  by  Puritan  Portsmouth 
when  Smith  began  to  publish  his  paper. 

Hon.  O.  W.  Whitelock,  of  Huntington,  Indiana,  President 
of  The  Christian  Publishing  Association,  presided  over  the  cen- 
tennial exercises,  which  began  Tuesday  evening,  September  15, 
in  Court  Street  Christian  Church,  closing  in  the  same  place 
Thursday  afternoon,  intervening  sessions  having  been  held  in 
Methodist,  Universalist,  Congregational  and  Unitarian 
churches.  Rev.  Carlyle  Summerbell,  served  as  Secretary 
of  the  sessions.^ 

Hearty  welcome  was  accorded  visitors  by  Portsmouth  citi- 
zens and  pastors.  Mayor  Hon.  Wallace  Hackett  speaking  in 
their  behalf.  At  least  ten  denominations  were  represented, 
and  journalists  of  those  denominations  as  follows  shared  in 
the  program  which  discussed  interesting  phases  of  religious 
journalism  or  gave  historical  accounts  of  religious  papers : 
S.  D.  Gordon,  representing  the  Sundaij  School  Times,  of  Phila- 
delphia; Amos  R.  Wells,  versatile  managing  editor  of  the 
Christian  Endeavor  World,  Boston ;  Rev.  G.  C.  Waterman,  the 
Morning  Star,  Boston ;  Rev.  Joseph  S.  Swain,  The  Watch- 
man, Boston ;  Rev.  A.  J.  Northrup,  Zion's  Herald, 
Boston;  Rev.  Alfred  Gooding,  representing  the  Christian  Reg- 
ister, Boston ;  Rev.  Anson  Titus,  of  the  Universalist 
Historical  Society.  A  number  of  speakers  from  the  Christian 
denomination  added  their  contributions  to  the  occasion.  Rev. 
D.  B.  Atkinson  read  an  admirably  compact  history  of  the 
Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty. 

Immediately  after  this  celebration,  addresses  and  minutes, 
and  a  bibliography  of  Elias  Smith's  published  works,  were 
issued  under  caption  of  ''Modern  Light  Bearers,"  edited  by 
Rev.  J.  P.  Barrett,  also  editor  of  the  paper  whose  hun- 
dredth anniversary  was  observed.  Another  volume,  "The 
Centennial  of  Religious  Journalism,"  was  issued  in  honor  of 

1  Chairman  Whitelock,  Revs.  T.  S.  Weeks.  U.  D.,  then  of  Troy,  Ohio,  W.  W. 
Staley,  D.  D.,  Stiffoik,  Virginia  ;  A.  H.  Morrill,  D.  D.,  Laconia,  New  Hampshire  ; 
and  D.  B.  Atkinson,  M.  A.,  Jireh,  Wyoming,  were  the  arrangmeats  committee. 


SUNDAY-SCHOOLS— CHRISTIAN    ENDEAVOR    3G1 

the  anniversary.  So  that  paper  has  started  well  on  its  second 
century,  more  vigorous  than  ever,  and,  judged  by  fallible 
human  standards,  surer  of  prolonged  existence  than  at  any 
time  hitherto.  Perhaps  some  day  records  and  files  will  be 
searched  for  accurate  indication  of  how  great  a  part  the  young, 
yet  venerable.  Herald  has  played  in  building  the  cause  of  the 
people  called  simply  Christians,  and  in  i)iloting  them  along  a 
way  beset  with  no  less  dangers  than  loomed  before  the  man 
hasting  toward  the  celestial  city,  in  Bunyan's  immortal  alle- 
gory. 

SUNDAY-SCHOOLS  AND  CHRISTIAN   ENDEAVOR 

A  final  word  should  be  spoken  of  these  two  invaluable 
church  assets.  As  yet  no  departmental  organization  has 
fairly  gripped  the  churches'  ebullient  young  life  in  Bible  school 
or  in  young  people's  society,  to  train  young  hearts  and  heads 
and  hands  for  Christian  service.  Promoters  of  Sunday-school 
work  must  yet  be  put  into  the  field,  and  a  young  people's 
leader  must  be  raised  up.  The  Christians  have  contributed 
to  the  Sunday-school  movement  Marion  Law^rance  and  W.  C. 
Pearce,  but  have  saved  no  such  men  for  their  own  fields ;  they 
have  helped  to  make  Amos  R.  Wells  the  greatest  of  Christian 
Endeavor  editors,  but  have  no  like  man  serving  their  own  youth 
exclusively.  Within  a  few  years  many  schools  have  caught 
newer  visions  of  service  and  are  fully  abreast  of  other  denomi- 
nations in  use  of  modern  methods.  The  recent  quadrennial 
convention  recognized  their  partial  advance,  and  took  action 
looking  toward  uniform  future  progress.  But  of  this  some 
future  historian  must  write. 

Christian  Endeavor  has  declined  since  1804,  and  now  there 
are  probably  less  than  two  hundred  fifty  societies.  The  South 
is  thoroughly  awake  to  many  advantages  of  organizing  its 
young  people  for  definite  pledged  service;  and  perhaps  that 
awakening  may  stimulate  interest  in  other  sections.  Here 
again  the  historian  must  not  become  prophet. 


362  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

MORAL  REFORMS 

Anti- Slavery. — Only  passing  mention  lias  been  made  of  the 
stand  taken  by  this  denomination  on  great  moral  issues  and 
reforms.  More  specific  statements  are  demanded,  perhaps, 
that  readers  may  not  be  misled.  From  the  denomination's 
inception  its  leaders  spoke  out  against  slavery.  James  O'Kelly 
wrote  a  pamphlet  opposing  ownership  of  human  beings.  Bar- 
ton W.  Stone  abjured  it  and  influenced  relatives  to  liberate 
their  slaves;  David  Purviance  did  not  keep  slaves  or  employ 
slave  help,  because  he  believed  human  rights  forbade  men  to 
make  chattels  of  their  fellows ;  William  Kinkade  was  second  to 
no  man  in  Illinois  in  securing  a  state  constitution  forever 
banning  slavery ;  and  as  time  wore  on  conferences  in  the  north 
declared  themselves  unalterably^  opposed  to  the  African  slave 
traffic  and  its  concomitants.  Northern  periodicals  maintained 
constant  agitation  against  it.  And  finally  the  issue  came 
squarely  before  the  General  Conference  at  Cincinnati,  cleaving 
the  denomination  in  twain.  Still  northern  pulpit  and  press 
and  conference  continued  to  denounce,  often  with  language 
intemperate  and  bitterer  than  should  have  been  employed  in 
stigmatizing  their  brethren  in  the  South.  When  finally  the 
struggle  was  over  and  peace  prevailed,  no  Christian  people 
hailed  the  event  with  gi'eater  joy,  realizing  that  human  liberty 
had  won  national  recognition,  although  at  fearful  cost. 

The  Liquor  Traffic. — Again,  from  the  first  the  Christians 
have  been  temperance  reformers.  No  denominatiolial  minis- 
try in  America  has  more  consistently  fought  the  liquor  traffic 
and  intemperance.  Abner  Jones  early  declared  himself  a 
teetotaler;  William  Kinkade  advocated  complete  prohibition 
of  liquor  manufacture;  Mark  Fernald,  that  eccentric  New 
England  preacher,  struck  sledge-hammer  blows  at  cider  and 
rum  drinking  wherever  he  preached ;  Joseph  Badger's  early 
experiences  made  him  an  inveterate  enemy  of  intoxicants; 
I.  N.  Walter  actively  forwarded  the  pledge-signing  crusade. 


RECENT  STATISTICS  303 

Here  too  the  press  entered  the  contest,  from  Elias  Smith's  day 
forward,  and  never  has  ceased  to  hate  and  oppose  alcoholic 
drinkinj;,  the  modern  saloon,  and  the  brewery.  Under  Dr. 
T.  M.  McWhinney's  editorship  the  Herald  became  notorious  for 
its  temperance  advocacy.  Other  jteriodicals,  Xorth  and  South, 
have  not  lagged  behind  in  this  great  reform  movement. 

National  or  sectional  leaders  in  the  crusade  against  liquor 
often  remark  what  splendid  co-operation  they  receive  from 
ministers  of  the  Christian  denomination.  And  well  they  may ; 
for  hostility  to  the  greatest  foe  confronting  American  society 
and  Christianity  is  ''bred  in  the  bone"  of  the  Christian 
Church's  ministry.  Perhaps  that  breeding  and  the  church's 
general  attitude  are  best  reflected  in  a  thrilling  story,  entitled 
'-Herbert  Brown,"  written  by  Dr.  O.  B.  Whi taker,  a  fore- 
most minister  and  college  president  of  the  Christians. 

Equalitjj  of  Woman. — The  Christians  are  said  to  have  been 
the  first  in  modern  times  to  ordain  w^omen  to  the  gospel  minis- 
try. Mrs.  Melissa  Terrell,  noAV  of  California,  was  formally  or- 
dained in  1807.'  But  as  early  as  1812  women  preachers  were 
working  and  highly  esteemed  among  the  Christians.  Mrs.  Abi- 
gail Rolwrts,  of  New  York,  and  Rev.  H.  Lizzie  Haley,  of  Massa- 
chusetts, were  very  remarkable  evangelists  in  their  time  in  the 
East;  and  competent  judges  regard  Miss  Haley  as  the  best 
evangelist  they  have  ever  known.  This  encouragement  of 
women  preachers  has  helped  to  give  women  equal  standing 
with  men  in  all  church  and  denominational  work,  and  unques- 
tionably has  caused  the  church  to  look  with  favor  ui)on  some 
movements  for  enfranchising  women  and  allowing  them 
equality  with  men  in  civil  aflfairs.^ 

RECENT  STATISTICS 

In  closing  this  history  some  late  reliable  statistics  are  pre- 
sented.     "The  Christian  Annual"  for  1898  credited  the  denom- 

'  At  Ebenezer  Chapel,  Clark  Co.,  Ohio,  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Mark  D.  Briney,  E.  W. 
Humphreys,  and  N.  Dawson.  The  Deer  Creek  Conference  Is  sa'd  to  have  been 
divided  Ij'ecanse  of  this  act.  ^  See  Centennial  of   Religious  Journalism   for 

extensive  sketch  of  women's  standing  among  the  Christians. 


364  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

ination  that  year  with  1,391  ministers,  1,424  churches,  a  mem- 
bership of  107,808,  1,259  Sunday-schools,  and  428  Christian 
Endeavor  Societies.  These  figures  only  approximate  the 
correct  totals.  Government  statistics  are  the  latest  approxi- 
mation.^ The  Christians  are  credited  with  1,379  churches, 
110,117  members,  1,253  church  edifices  valued  at  |2,740,322, 
1,149  Sunday-schools,  in  which  are  gathered  83,473  pupils.  On 
this  basis  the  Christians  ranked  sixteenth  in  numerical  strength 
among  religious  bodies  in  the  United  States.  Of  course  a 
Canadian  contingent  was  not  included  in  those  figures,  and 
there  are  reasons  to  suspect  other  omissions.  The  Ontario 
Conference  had  1,110  members  in  190G. 

Geographical  distribution  is  indicated  by  the  census  report, 
as  follows:  North  Atlantic  Division,  17,682;  South  Atlantic 
Division,  25,591 ;  North  Central  Division,  62,330 ;  South  Central 
Division,  4,393;  Western  Division,  121.  By  states,  Ohio  had 
24,706;  Indiana,  21,397;  North  Carolina,  15,909,  and  the  bal- 
ance was  distributed  in  smaller  numbers  in  many  states. 

CONCLUSION 

To  interested  readers  much  of  the  history  recorded  in  this 
volume  will  be  of  superlative  interest.  Perhaps  casual  readers 
may  better  appreciate  the  motive  and  position  of  the  people 
who  have  been  misunderstood,  lost  sight  of,  and  scorned  because 
of  their  singularity  in  abjuring  sectarianism,  sectarian  names 
and  party  cries,  preferring  to  be  called  simply  Christians,  to 
resort  to  the  Bible  alone  for  doctrine  and  church  government ; 
and  who  have  steadfastly  refrained  from  building  a  great 
organization  or  formulating  dogmas.  The  event  has  proved 
the  feasibility  of  maintaining  a  vital  Christianity  on  those 
simple  grounds.  Readers  of  these  pages  will  doubtless  be 
prompted  to  many  queries,  and  may  find  ready  answers  in  the 
facts  and  their  logic  herein  contained.  Most  readers  will 
involuntarily  wonder.  What  of  the  future?      Let  them  read  the 

1  Bureau  of  the  Census :  Religious  Bodies,  1906. 


CONCLUSION  365 

past,  look  at  the  present,  and  do  their  own  forecasting.  This 
body  is  now  better  organized  and  better  equipped  with  institu- 
tions, than  ever.  The  personnel  of  its  ministry  never  was  so 
good,  and  its  resources  have  amassed  beyond  expectation.  It 
once  occupied  the  van  in  advance  church  movements  in  Amer- 
ica ;  it  is  again  swinging  into  current  movements  and  assuming 
its  responsibility.      These  are  the  facts. 


As  these  closing  words  are  written,  the  clouds  in  the  sky, 
the  mild  air,  early  bird  songs,  bursting  buds,  and  springing 
vegetation,  give  evidence  of  approaching  spring  and  fruitful 
summer.  The  Christians  have  had  many  a  halcyon  spring- 
time, and  now  there  is  glorious  promise.  Is  it  too  much  to 
hope  that,  as  they  close  this  volume,  readers  may  lift  a  prayer 
that  the  glorious  promise  may  be  realized  in  actual  fruitage  for 
the  Kingdom  of  Heaven  ? 


366  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

SOURCES  FOR  CHAPTER  XVI 

Records  of  the  American  Christian  Convention,  for  1898,  1902,  1906, 
and  1910. 

Minutes  of  the  Southern  Christian  Convention  for  the  period. 

Annual  of  the  Christian  Churcli  (South),  1895-1910. 

Reports  of  Elon  Christian  Orphanage,  Rev.  J.  L.  Foster,  Superin- 
tendent. 

Records  of  the  New  England  Christian  Convention  for  the  period. 

Christian  Year  Book,  1894-1S9G. 

Christian  Annual,  1897-1910. 

Centennial  of  Religious  Journalism,  edited  by  J.  P.  Barrett,  D.  D. 

Christian  Missionary,  Vols.  I-XVI. 

Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  Vols.  LXXXVI-CII. 

Christian  Sun,  especially  issues  for  December  21,  1910,  January  11, 
February  8  and  22,  1911. 

News  and  Observer,  Raleigh,  N.  C,  for  May  3,  1900. 

Report  of  First  International  Missionary  Conference,  edited  by  J.  P. 
Barrett,  D.  D.,  1901. 

Report  of  Second  International  Missionary  Conference,  in  Christian 
Missionary,  November,  1904. 

Modem  Light  Bearers,  edited  by  J.  P.  Barrett,  D.  D.,  being  a  report 
of  the  proceedings  attending  the  celebration  of  the  100th  anniversary 
of  Religious  Journalism,  1908. 

Bureau  of  the  Census :  Religious  Bodies,  1906. 


APPENDIX 


I 


APPENDIX 

(Additional  Matter) 

CHAPTER  II 

Page  78— 

"An  enquiry  began  to  be  instituted  by  tlie  churches  generally,  as 
by  common  impulse,  into  the  cause  of  the  great  spiritual  delinquencies 
that  prevailed  among  them ;  and  at  the  same  time  to  ascertain  if  prac- 
ticable a  remedy  for  the  moral  malady  that  so  sorely  afflicted  them." — 
Purvlance,  p.  200. 

"In  the  meantime  ministers  of  the  gospel  had  become  greatly  awak- 
ened to  the  dischai-ge  of  their  holy  functions — their  discourses  were 
more  clear  and  practical,  and  of  consequence,  far  more  interesting  and 

effectual The  dogmas  and  speculations  of  the  sects  were  now  in 

but  little  request,  even  among  the  clergy.  Themes  of  much  more  noble 
character  inspired  their  hoart.s These  remarks  apply  to  the  denom- 
inations generally ;  more  especially,  however,  to  the  Pi'esbyterian  church, 

in  the  bosom  of  which  the  writer  was  born  and  raised The  interest 

for  the  Bible  and  the  religion  it  teaches  augmented  daily,  and  the  moral 
tension  of  the  public  mind  was  now  wound  up  to  a  high  stage.  When 
early  In  the  month  of  April  of  the  year  in  question,  a  phenomenon  in 
the  religious  history  of  the  west  made  its  appearance  in  the  south  of 
Kentucky,  more  than  one  hundred  miles  from  Cane  Ridge." — Ibid.,  p.  297. 


Page  80— 

"The  established  opinion  in  the  churches  had  been  that  the  Scrip- 
tures, explained  according  to  sound  reason  and  philosophy,  was  light 
sufficient :  and  simply  to  believe  what  wo  were  thus  taught,  was  the 
highest  evidence  we  could  have  of  the  truth  of  spiritual  things.  But 
these  [the  first  subjects  of  the  revival]  adopted  a  very  different  faith, 
and  taught,  as  an  important  truth,  that  the  will  of  God  was  made  mani- 
fest to  each  individual  who  honestly  sought  after  it,  by  an  inward  light, 
which  shone  in  the  heart.  Hence  they  received  the  name  of  Neic- 
Liffhts."  "This  division  in  sentiments,  with  its  concomitant  effects, 
drew  together  a  vast  multitude  out  of  different  churches,  who  formed 
a  general  comniunicm.  and  for  a  time  acceded  to  the  doctrines,  manner 
of  worship,   etc..   first   opened  and  practiced  among  the  Xeic-Liijhts,   a 


370  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

brief  sketch  of  which  is  as  follows,  viz. :  That  all  creed.s,  confessions, 
forms  of  worship,  and  rules  of  government,  invented  by  men,  ought  to 
be  laid  aside,  especially  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  Calvin.  That 
all  who  received  the  true  light  of  the  Spirit  in  the  inner  man,  and  faith- 
fully followed  it,  would  naturally  see  eye  to  eye,  and  understand  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  alike,  without  any  written  tenet  or  learned  expositor. 
That  all  who  received  this  true  light,  would  plainly  see  the  purity  of 
God — the  depravity  of  man — the  necessity  of  a  new  birth,  and  of  a 
sinless  life  and  conversation  to  evidence  it.  That  God  was  no  respecter 
of  persons — willeth  the  salvation  of  all  souls — has  opened  a  door  of 
salvation,  through  Christ,  for  all — will  have  all  invited  to  enter;  and 
such  as  refuse  to  come  must  blame  themselves  for  their  own  perdition." 
— McNemar,  pp.  29,  30.  Compare  with  this  Stone,  pp.  38,  44,  45,  and 
Purviance,  p.  300. 

"As  to  worship,  they  allowed  each  one  to  worship  God  agreeably 
to  their  own  feelings,  whatever  impressions  or  consciousness  of  duty 
they  were  under ;  .  .  .  .  and  hence,  so  wide  a  door  was  opened,  and  such 
a  variety  of  exercises  were  exhibited  at  their  public  meetings.  All 
distinctions  of  names  was  laid  aside,  and  it  was  no  matter  what  any  one 
had  been  called  before,  if  now  he  stood  in  the  present  light  and  felt  his 
heart  glow  with  love  to  the  souls  of  men ;  he  was  welcome  to  sing,  pray, 
or  call  sinners  to  repentance.  Neither  was  there  any  distinction,  as 
to  age,  sex,  color,  or  anything  of  a  temporary  nature ;  old  and  young, 
male  and  female,  black  and  white,  had  equal  privilege  to  minister  the 
light  which  they  had  received,  in  whatever  way  the  Spirit  directed. 
And  it  was,  moreover,  generally  considered  that  such  as  professed  to 
stand  in  the  light,  and  were  not  actively  engaged,  some  way  or  other,  in 
time  of  public  meeting,  were  already  dead  weights  upon  the  cause." — 
McNemar,  p.  31. 


CHAPTER  III 
Page  85— 

Backus'  Works :  The  Doctrine  of  Sovereign  Grace  Opened  and  Vindi- 
cated, by  Isaac  Backus,  Pastor  of  a  church  in  Middleborough,  (Mass.) 
John  Carter,  Providence,  R.  I..  1771.  Backus  was  a  very  prominent 
Baptist  minister.  In  an  appendix  to  the  works  above  named  he  says : 
"I  am  far  from  desiring  any  to  follow  the  most  eminent  fathers  any 
further  than  they  followed  ChrLst ;  but  as  I  fully  believe  that  these 
fathers  did  so,  in  the  doctrine  of  sovereign  grace,  in  overcoming  evil 
tcith  good,  and  in  maintaining  a  friendly  correspondence  with  pious 
people  of  other  denominations,  while  they  still  kept  to  this  one  princi- 


APPENDIX  371 

pie,  for  earh  oue  to  worship  God  according  to  tbo  liRlit  of  his  own  con- 
science; who  can  justly  blame  this  attempt  to  promote  these  generous 
principles,  which  I  would  thankfully  acknowknige  are  of  late,  in  a 
considerable  measure,  revived  in  their  children V" — Pp.  xi-xii. 


Page  88— 

John  Wesley  wrote : 

"Bristol,  September  10,  1784.  To  Dr.  Coke,  Francis  Asbury,  and 
our  Brethren  in  North  America." 

Closing  the  letter  he  says : 

"As  our  American  brethren  are  now  totally  disentangled  from  the 
state  and  from  the  English  hierarchy,  we  dai-e  not  entangle  them  again 
either  with  the  one  or  the  other.  They  are  now  at  full  liberty  simply 
to  follow  the  Scriptures  and  the  primitive  church ;  and  we  judge  it 
best  that  they  should  stand  fast  in  that  liberty  wherewith  God  has  so 
strangely  made  them  free." — Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  IV,  p.  81. 


Page  99— 

"Glorious  News  from  Massachusetts  ! !  Church  and  State  Unyoked  : 
or  the  Priests  of  Baal  left  to  Themselves." 

Then  follow  short  comments  on  "An  Act  Respecting  Public  Worship 
and  Religious  Freedom,"  passed  by  the  Massachusetts  legislature,  and 
approved  June  13,  1811. 

That  act  put  a  stop  to  general  taxation  for  support  of  an  established 
church,  and  allowed  any  man  to  turn  his  money  to  the  support  of  his 
own  denomination  or  society ;  provided  a  form  of  certificate  for  members 
of  such  denominations  or  societies ;  and  put  all  ministers  on  an  equality 
of  regular  exemption  from  taxation. — H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  302, 


CHAPTER  IV 

Page  108— 

William  Guirey,  writing  to  Elias  Smith,  early  in  1809,  says:  "Your 
allusion  to  the  building  of  the  wall,  in  the  days  of  Nehendah,  is  beautiful 
and  correct ;  for  each  man  did  build  the  wall  before  his  own  house. 
Our  brethren  in  Virginia,  and  in  the  lower  part  of  North  Carolina,  and 
in  South  Carolina,  in  Kentucky,  and  in  Philadelphia,  builded  without 
knowing  any  other  persons  were  engaged  in  the  work ;  they  were  entirely 
ignorant  of  each  other,  and  our  brethren  in  New  England  builded  with- 


372  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

out  knowing  anything  of  the  brethren  in  the  south.  'This  is  the  rx)rd's 
doing,  and  it  is  marvelous  in  our  eyes.'  This  subject  is  worthy  to 
exercise  the  talents  of  an  Addison,  a  Pope,  or  a  Curran.  By  traveling 
so  extensively  through  the  southern  states,  I  have  seen  several  of  those 
walls  joined.  I  saw  the  wall  built  by  the  brethren  in  Virginia  joined 
by  the  wall  built  by  the  brethren  in  South  Carolina.  This  wall  I 
afterward  saw  united  to  the  wall  built  by  the  brethren  in  North  Carolina. 
And  the  wall  built  by  the  brethren  in  Philadelphia  I  saw  united  to 
the  wall  built  in  the  South."— H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  G5. 


Page  109— 

See  diagram  inserted  opposite  this  page. 


Page  110— 

In  1809  a  communication  was  sent  from  ministers  of  Virginia,  North 
Carolina  and  South  Carolina  to  brethren  in  New  England,  saying  that 
they  stood  on  the  same  platform.  The  letter  contained  ample  expres- 
sion of  good  will,  and  was  signed  by  Wm.  Glendenning,  James  Jackson, 
Wm.  Guirey,  Thomas  E.  Jeter,  Joseph  H.  Bland,  T.  Ray  (South  Caro- 
lina), Henry  Hays,  Geo.  Wilkins,  James  Hays,  E'lias  Evans,  Joseph 
Thomas,  John  Sled,  Walter  Chustean,  Joseph  Hatchett,  Wm.  More, 
Philip  Vass,  John  Hays.  It  was  answered  in  similar  vein  by  the  New 
England  brethren  through  a  committee  consisting  of  Wm.  Ramzey,- 
Uriah  Smith  and  Elias  Cobb.  This  is  a  sample  of  the  manner  of  corre- 
spondence between  the  two  sections. — H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  87. 


Page  115— 

William  Guirey  wrote  from  Virginia  :  "We  have  members  in  every 
state  south  of  the  Potomac,  also  a  few  churches  in  Pennsylvania.  From 
the  best  information  I  can  obtain,  I  suppose  there  are  about  twenty 
thousand  people  in  the  southern  and  western  states  who  call  themselves 
by  the  Christian  name."— H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  43. 


William  Lanphier  wrote  from  northern  Virginia  the  same  year: 
"We  are  numerous  and  spread  through  Virginia,  North  and  South 
Carolina,  Georgia.  Ohio,  Kentucky,  Tennessee  and  some  few  in  Penn- 
sylvania."— H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  32. 


t^^ 


>?c 


(iu,i 


Cl  ns  aa  1 1  ub 


i^- 


°f 


191 


OF-THI: 

(j05PEL 


L[]3$ir|¥ 


r  E-Ch  IS  liu  I C  m  en  io  1 


ArrENDIX  373 

Jouatbau  Foster  wrole  in  ISO!)  from  northern  Virginia  saying :  "In 
the  states  of  Kentucky  and  Ohio,  thousands  are  coming  into  it  [Chris- 
tian Church].  In  the  lower  parts  of  Virginia  there  has  already  been 
a  blessed  revival.  In  New  Alexandria  the  church  is  prospering;  in  the 
state  of  Pennsylvania  the  flame  is  rapidly  spreading;  in  Maryland  I 
understand  the  church  is  beginning  to  look  up." — II.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  47. 


Page  IIG — 

"In  the  states  of  North  and  South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Kentucky, 
Virginia,  Pennsylvania,  and  I  believe  in  Ohio,  and  Tennessee,  Christian 
societies  are  raised,  who  have  introduced  Gospel  order  among  themselves, 
that  is,  have  taken  the  Scriptures  only  as  their  sole  rule  of  faith  and 
practice,  and  acknowledge  no  other  head  but  Jesus,  through  whose 
merits  they  preach  a  free  salvation  for  all  men ;  they  have  a  number  of 
eminent  ministers  among  them.  They  acknowledge  no  name  but  that 
of  Christian ;  and  what  is  the  most  extraordianry  circumstance  respect- 
ing them  and  what  I  believe  they  may  challenge  the  records  of  every 
period  of  the  annals  of  time  to  exhibit  its  equal,  is,  numbers  of  them 
agreeably  to  the  best  information  I  have,  originated  nearly  at  the  same 
time.  I  am  credibly  informed  they  were  formed  into  a  religious  com- 
pact without  any  knowledge  whatever  of  each  other ;  and  what  adds 
still  to  the  phenomenon  (if  I  may  call  it  so)  is,  they  have  embraced  the 
same  sentiments  and  adopted  the  same  mode  in  every  particular,  which 
go  almost  directly  to  destroy  ecclesiastical  and  every  species  of  religious 
tyranny,  and  to  establish  in  the  room  thereof  a  primitive  or  apostolical 
form  of  Church  Government." — Jonathan  Foster,  in  H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  27. 


"Then  in  the  first  place,  I  have  been  a  member  for  twelve  years 
past  of  a  society  that  distinguishes  itself  by  the  name  of  "The  Christian 
Church."  We  own  no  head  or  lawgiver  besides  Jesus  Christ,  conse- 
quently no  laws  in  matters  of  religion  besides  the  Holy  Scriptures.  V^"e 
have  but  two  orders  of  church  officers ;  Elders  and  Deacons ;  the  business 
of  the  first  is  to  preach  the  word  of  life,  and  to  take  care  to  feed  the 
flock  of  Christ ;  of  these,  some  travel  and  others  are  stationary.  The 
latter  are  appointed  to  attend  to  the  temporal  concerns  of  the  church. 
Our  preachers  and  members  are  all  on  an  equality.  All  the  affairs  of 
the  church  are  administered  by  a  majority  of  preachers  and  members. 
We  believe  in  the  universality  of  the  atonement,  in  the  efficacy  and 
necessity  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  order  to  conversion."  "We  believe  that 
party  names  engender  party  animosities,  and  that  the  most  and  only 
proper  name  for  the  followers  of  Christ  is  Christians.      That  all  other 


374  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

names  either  given  or  assvimed  are  nick-names  and  serves  only  as  a  rally- 
ing point  for  party  spirit."  "If  you  will  please  to  give  me  the  informa- 
tion requested,  I  will  immediately  print  it  and  spread  it  through  all  the 
aforesaid  states.  If  I  have  not  mistalven  as  to  your  order,  I  think  the 
Christian  Church  in  this  part  of  the  United  States  would  rejoice  to  give 
you  the  right  hand  of  fellowship." — William  Lanphier,  11.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I, 
p.  32. 


"7.  I  would  propose  to  promote  Christian  union  by  the  following 
method,  viz. :  Let  the  Prcshytcrians  lay  aside  the  book  called  the  confes- 
sion of  faith, 

"8.  Which  faith,  is  proposed  to  ministers  before  they  are  received ; 
and  instead  thereof,  present  the  Holy  Bible  to  the  minister  who  offers 
himself  as  a  fellow-labourer. 

"9.  Let  him  be  asked  if  he  believes  tliat  all  things  requisite  and 
nec-essary  for  the  church  to  believe  and  obey,  are  already  recorded  by 
inspired  men. 

"10.  Let  the  Baptists  open  a  more  charitable  door  and  receive  to 
their  commmiion  those  of  a  Christian  life  and  experience;  and  they 
themselves  eat  bread  w'ith  their  father's  children. 

"11.  Let  my  offended  brethren,  the  Methodists,  lay  aside  their 
book  of  discipline,  and  abide  by  the  government  laid  down  by  the  apos- 
tles— seeing  those  rules  of  faith  and  practice  were  given  from  above, 

"12.  And  answer  for  doctrine,  reproof,  coiTection,  instruction  in 
righteousness  ;  that  the  man  of  God  may  be  perfect,  thoroughly  furnished 
unto  all  good  works.— II  Tim.  3 :  16,  17. 

"13.  What  more  does  the  church  need,  than  is  above  inserted? 
Let  their  Episcopal  dignity  submit  to  Christ,  who  is  the  head  and  only 
head  of  his  church ;  and  then  we  as  brethren  will  walk  together,  and 
follow  God  as  dear  children. 

"14.  O,  how  tills  would  convince  the  world  that  we  were  true 
men,  and  not  speculators. — This  would  give  satan  an  incurable  wound ; 
and  make  deism  ashamed. 

"15.  Again  as  each  church  is  called  by  a  different  name,  suppose  we 
dissolve  those  unscriptural  names,  and  for  peace'  sake  call  ourselves 
Clristians  !  This  would  be — 'The  Christian  Church'." — James  O'Kelly, 
In  H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  39. 


Extracts  from  a  letter  from  the  Ministers  of  the  Christian  Churches 
at  the  Southward,  dated  May  27,  1809. 

"Brethren — From  our  beloved  brother  FredericJc  Plummcr  we  have 
received  such  information  of  you   as  causes  our  souls  to  rejoice  and 


APPENDIX  375 

induces  us  in  this  manner  to  oxi)ress  our  sentiments.  We  ai'e  informed 
that  you  receive  CIIKI8T  as  ONIA'  IIKAI)  Oil  IvIX(J  of  tlie  church,  to 
the  exclusion  of  Popes,  Cardiiialft,  ArclibisJiops,  Bishops,  or  any  body  of 
men  invested  with  legishitive  authority  for  the  churcli  of  God.  We 
believe  that  one  head  is  sufficient  for  one  body,  and  more  heads  than  one 
would  make  any  being  a  monster.  The  church  is  said  to  be  the  'body 
of  Christ'  and  Christ  the  'head  of  the  body.'  We  rejoice  that  the  gov- 
ernment is  on  the  shoulders  of  the  fiUviour,  and  cannot  forl)ear  to 
express  our  .ioy  that  a  in'ople  exist  in  New  lilngland,  who  like  us  have 
rejected  human  heads,  and  cheerfully  submitted  to  the  authority  of 
Christ  alone. 

"In  consequence  of  your  receiving  Christ  as  only  head  and  ruler  of 
his  church,  it  necessarily  follows,  that  Jiis  Idirs  as  contained  in  the  New 
Testament,  should  be  received  without  any  addition,  abridgment,  altera- 
tions, or  embellishments,  to  the  exclusion  of  all  articles  of  I'eligion,  con- 
fessions of  faith,  creeds,  etc.,  etc.,  etc..  composed  by  men:  That  the 
New  Testament  is  alone  sufficient  for  doctrine,  reproof,  correction,  and 
instruction  in  righteousness,  is  a  sentiment  in  which  we  are  confirmed ; 
and  experience  has  taught  us  to  believe,  that,  like  its  author  it  is 
perfect,  for  it  answers  every  purpose  to  promote  the  peace,  happiness 
and  prosperity  of  the  church  of  Christ,  and  has  a  direct  tendency  to 
prevent  those  jars  and  contentions  which  always  have,  and  always  will 
attend  imperfect  human  productions. 

"We  are  informed  that  like  us,  you  have  rejected  all  other  names 
by  which  you  may  be  designated  as  a  religious  body,  but  the  Christian. 
This  is  a  matter  of  great  joy  to  us,  because  it  is  the  name  by  whicli  the 
primitive  disciples  of  Christ  were  first  known  in  Antioch.  We  also 
conceive  it  a  proper  name  given  by  the  Holy  Spirit  to  the  Church  which 
is  said  to  be  the  Lamb's  wife,  consequently  should  be  called  by  his 
name." — H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  87. 


Extracts  from  a  letter  by  the  Elders  of  the  Christian  Churches,  in 
the  New  England  States,  assembled  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  June  23,  1809. 

"Beloved  Brethren  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Glorious  Lord : 

Your  epistle  dated  May  27th.  was  received  by  u>-!  with  the  same 
spirit  of  love  by  which  it  was  dictated ;  and  it  rejoices  our  hearts,  that 
there  are  sucli  a  number  of  our  brethren  in  the  Southern  States,  who 
receive  Christ  as  only  King  and  Head  of  his  Church,  to  the  exclusion  of 
Popes,  Cardinals,  Bishops,  Arch-Bishops,  or  any  body  of  men  invested 
with  legislative  authority  for  the  Church  of  God. 


376  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

"We  understand  according  to  the  New  Testament,  that  the  Church 
is  the  'Body  of  Chx'lst'  and  Christ  the  'Head  of  the  Body,'  and  we  praise 
our  God  that  he  has  given  Jesus  a  'leader  and  commander  to  the  people;' 
that  'the  government  is  upon  his  shoulder ;'  that  we  have  a  laivgiver 
who  is  able  to  save  us,  for  'there  is  one  lawgiver  who  is  able  to  save 
and  to  destroy ;'  we  therefore  have,  and  do  reject  all  human  heads,  laws, 
articles  of  religion,  confessions  of  faith,  disciplines,  creeds,  catechisms, 
etc.,  etc.,  etc.,  which  have  been  invented  by  men,  not  only  because  they  are 
the  foundation  of  the  unhappy  disputes  which  have  arisen  among  the 
children  of  God,  and  a  lessening  of  the  divine  authority  of  our  master 
Jesus  to  command  us  in  all  things ;  but  because  we  find  his  law  perfect 
in  all  things  and  sure,  a  'perfect  law  of  liberty,"  not  of  bondage — yes 
brethren,  liberty  to  obey  him  in  all  things,  whose  yoke  is  easy,  and  whose 
burden  is  light." 

"We  feel  willing  with  you,  yea,  we  rejoice  to  take  the  despised  name 
of  Christians,  because  the  Church  which  is  the  LamVs  tcife  should  be 
called  by  his  name.  'He  was  despised  and  rejected  of  men'  and  'the 
servant  should  not  be  above  his  master'." — H.  G.  L.,  Vol.  I,  p.  95. 


Writing  from  Jacksonville,  111.,  January  4,  1838,  Stone  said: 

"I  approve  my  course  in  rejecting  all  authoritative  creeds,  and  of 
withdrawing  my  influence  from  building  up  any  party-establishment  of 
Christians  on  earth 

"I  approve  of  my  choice  in  taking  the  Bible  alone  as  the  foundation 
of  my  faith  and  practice;  and  to  meet  all  Christians  on  this  broad 
platform  without  regard  to  diversity  of  opinions,  if  that  opinion  were 
not  of  a  demoralizing  nature  and  tendency 

"I  approve  of  my  course  in  laboring  to  rescue  the  truth  from  the 
rubbish  of  tradition,  long  heaped  upon  it  by  the  folly  of  erring  men 

"I  most  heartily  approve  of  my  course  in  so  strenuously  advocating 
the  doctrine  that  immersion  is  not  the  sine  qua,  nan  of  Christianity.  .  .  . 
I  am  glad  to  find  that  brother  A.  Campbell  has  come  out  fully  in  advo- 
cating and  defending  the  same  doctrine  (vid.  Mill.  Harb.,  September  and 
December  Nos. )  .—Chris.  Pall.,  Vol.  VI,  pp.  315,  316. 


CHAPTER  V 
Page  123— 

There  are  several  dates  of  organization  given  to  some  conferences, 
and  the  following  lists  are  probably  not  accurate,  but  only  approximate. 


APPENDIX  377 

They  are  given  more  to  show  readers  where  conferences  were  organized 
than  to  establish  the  dates. 

Kentucky    1804 

Deer  Creelv,  Ohio   1807  or  1808 

Virginia    • 1814 

Wabash.    Indiana    1817 

Wabash,   Illinois    1818 

New  York    1818 

Virginia    1818 

Maine    1818 

Mad  River  (now  Miami  Ohio)    1819 

New  York  Eastern   1820 

New  York  Western  1820 

New    Hampshire    1820 

Vermont   1820 

Southern  Ohio   1820 

CJonnecticut    1821 

Athens,  Ohio,  before    1823 

Norfolk,  Virginia,  before 1823 

Massachusetts   (re-organized  1835)    1823 

Central  Indiana  1824 

Upper  Canada  (now  Ontario)   1825 

North  Carolina  and  Virginia   1825 

New  York  Central    1827 

Rhode  Island  and  Connecticut 1827 

Salt  Creek,  Ohio,  about   1827 

New  York  and  Erie  (now  called  Erie)    1829 

Sunbury,  Ohio  (now  Ohio  Central)   1829 

North    Carolina    ,. . .  isso 

Union  Christian   (part  of  Kentucky  and  Indiana)    1830 

New    Jersey    1830 

Cole  Creek  (now  Western  Indiana)    1830 

New  York  Northern   1831 

Rockingham    • 1832 

Strafford    1832 

Merrimac 1832 

New    Brunswick    1832 

Eastern  North  Carolina 1832 

Maine  divided  into  three  conferences  about  1832 


378  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

CHAPTER  VI 

Page  139— 

We  find  record  of  "elders'  conferences,"  almost  invariably  held  in 
connection  with  "general  meetings,"  as  follows : 

1809  Portsmouth,  N.  H, 

1810  Bradford,  Vt.,  and  Sandwich,  N.  H. 

1812  Candia,  N.  H.,  and  Woodstock,  Vt. 

1813  New  Bedford,  Mass, 

1814  Hardwick,  Vt.,  and  Cumberland,  R.  I. 

1815  Danville  and  Bradford,  Vt.,  Freetown,  Mass.,  and  Windham 
Conn. 

1816  Hampton,  Conn.,  Farmington,  Candia  and  Deerfield,  N.  II. 

1817  New  Bedford,  Mass.,  the  first  delegated  conference,  composed 
of  elders  and  laymen ;  and  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  soon  afterward. 

1818  Ilartwick,  N.  Y.,  Gilmanton  and  Meredith,  N.  11.  The 
Hartwick  was  the  first  regularly  organized  conference  of  elders  and 
church  delegates  in  the  North. 


Page  140 — 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  years  and  places  of  meeting  of  the  United 
States  Christian  Conference,  and  its  successors,  from  1820  to  1910 : 

1820  Windham,  Conn. 

1821  New  Bedford,  Mass. 

1822  Greenville,  N.  T.      At  some  sessions  there  were  4.000  present, 
the  meetings  being  held  in  a  grove. 

1823  Freetown  (Assonet),  Mass. 

1824  Freedom,  N.  T, 

1825  Beekman,  N.  T. 

1826  Windham,  Conn. 

1827  West  Bloomfield,  N.  T. 

1828  No  session. 

1829  New  York  City. 

1830  No  session. 

1831  New    York  City,   Christian   General   Book   Association   being 
formed. 

1832  Milan,  N.  Y.,  when  Conference  was  dissolved. 

1833  New  York  City,  an  informal  conference,  calling  another  meet- 
ing later  for  purpose  of  re-organization. 

1833  Milan,  N.  Y.,  Conference  re-organized. 

1834  Union  Mills,  N.  Y.,  to  meet  once  in  four  years  thereafter. 
1838    New  York  City. 


APPENDIX  379 

1842  Stafiford,  N.  Y. 

1846  Union  Mills,  N.  Y. 

1850  ilarion,  N.  Y.,  an  epoch-making  session. 

1854  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  where  the  division  over  slavery  occurred. 

1858  New  York  City. 

1802  Medway,  N.  Y. 

1800  Marshall,  Mich. 

1870  Oshawa.  Canada. 

1874  Stanfordville,  N.  Y. 

1878  Franklin.  Ohio. 

1882  Albany,  N.  Y. 

1886  New  Bedford,  Mass. 

1890  Marion.  Ind. 

1894  Haverhill.  Mass. 

1898  Newmarket,  Canada. 

1902  Norfolk,  Va. 

1906  Huntington,  Ind. 

1910  Troy,  Ohio. 

The  following  named  persons  have  been  president  and  secretary 
respectively  of  the  General  Conference  or  Convention  of  the  denomina- 
tion, for  the  terms  indicated.  Some  sessions  were  served  by  two 
secretaries. 

1819    ,  Robert  Foster. 

1820  Rev.  Benjamin  Taylor,  Robert  Foster. 

1821  Rev.  John  Rand.  Robert  Foster. 

1822  Rev.  Mark  Fernald,  Robert  Foster. 

1823  Rev.  Daniel  Ilix,  Robert  Foster. 

1824  Rev.  John  Spoor,  Jr.,  Rev.  John  L.  Peavey. 

1826  Rev.  Hervey  Sullings,  Robert  Foster. 

1827  Rev.  Hervey  Sullings,  Rev.  David  Millard   (pro  tem.). 
1829    Rev.  David  Millard. 

1831  Rev.  Simon  Clougb,  Robert  Foster. 

1832  Rev.  Abner  Jones,  Rev.  Joseph  Badger. 

1833  Rev.  William  Lane,  Rev.  J.  V.  Himes  and  Rev.  .Tasper  Hazen. 

1834  Rev.  Frederick  Plummer,  Rev.  Simon  Clough  and  Rev.  David 
Millard. 

1838  Rev.  I.  N.  Walter,  Rev.  Jasper  Hazen  and  Rev.  Oliver  Barr. 

1842  Rev.  Jasper  Hazen,  Rev.  John  Ross  and  Rev.  Lyman  Perry. 

1846  Rev.  Elijah  Shaw,  Rev.  John  Ross  and  Rev.  W.  R.  Stowe. 

1850  Rev.  D.  P.  Pike,  J.  R.  FreeBe,  M.  D. 


380  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

3854  R.   P.    Stebbius,    D.   D.,   N.    Summerbell,  D.   D.,   and  Rev.   C. 
Deariug. 

1858  Rev.  I.  H.  Coe,  N.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

18G2  Rev.  Amasa  Stanton,  Rev.  D.  W.  Moore. 

1866  Rev.  D.  P.  Pike,  N.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

1870  Rev.  I.  H.  Coe,  J.  J.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

1874  Rev.  I.  H.  Coe,  J.  J.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

1878  Rev.  A.  W.  Coan,  J.  J.  Summerbell,  D,  D. 

1882  Rev.  J.  W.  Osborne,  J.  J.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

1886  D.  A.  Long,  LL.  D.,  J.  J.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

1890  D.  A.  Long,  LL.  D.,  J.  J.  Summerbell,  D.  D. 

1894  A.  H.  Morrill,  D.  D.,  J.  F.  Burnett,  D.  D. 

1898  O.  W.  Powers,  D.  D.,  J.  F.  Burnett,  D.  D. 

1902  O.  W.  Powers,  D.  D.,  J.  F.  Burnett,  D.  D. 

190G  W.  D.  Samuel,  D.  D.,  J.  F.  Burnett,  D.  D. 

1910  W.  D.  Samuel,  D.  D.,  J,  F.  Burnett,  D.  D. 


Page  147 — 

Here  is  inserted  for  convenience  in  reference  a  list  of  the  editors 
of  the  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  with  their  terms  of  service. 

Elias  Smith,  1808-1817. 

Robert  Foster,  1817-1835. 

Elijah  Shaw,  1835-1840. 

Elijah  Shaw,  David  Millard  (part  of  term),  P.  R.  Russell,  1840-1850. 

Jasper  Hazen,  Elijah  Shaw,  1850-1851. 

D.  P.  Pike,  A.  G.  Morton,  Elijah  Shaw,  Oliver  Barr,  J.  B.  Weston, 
O.  J.  Wait,  Austin  Craig,  1851-1856.  ( Some  of  these  men  did  not  serve 
all  the  time.) 

B.  F.  Carter,  Charles  Bryant,  1856-1862. 
D.  P.  Pike,  J.  W.  Hayley,  1862-1808. 

H.  Y.  Rush,  D.  P.  Pike  (part  of  time),  O.  J.  Wait  1868-1876. 

N.  Summerbell,  1877-1878. 

T.  M.  MeWhinney,  1878-1880. 

T.  M.  MeWhinney,  J.  B,  Weston,  Asa  W.  Coan,  1880-1881. 

A.  W.  Coan,  1881-1885. 

C.  J.  Jones,  1885-1888. 
J.  P.  Watson,  1888-1893. 

J.  P.  Watson,  G.  D.  Black,  1893. 
J.  P.  Watson,  1893-1894. 
J.  J.  Summerbell.  1895-1906. 
J.  P.  Barrett,  1907- 


APPENDIX  381 

In  most  cases  the  flrst-uamed  person  was  editor-in-cbief,  and  tliu 
other  persons  named  were  his  associates. 


rage  147— 

The  editors  and  their  terms  of  service,  for  the  Chrif^tian  Palladium, 
were  as  follows : 

Joseph  Badger,  1832-1839. 

Joseph  Marsh,  1839-1843. 

Joseph  Marsh,  John  Ross,  Oliver  Barr,  1843-1844. 

Jasper  Ilazeu,  John  Boss,  Oliver  Barr,  1844-1845. 

Jasper  Hazen,  John  Ross,  1845-184G. 

Jasper  Hazen,  1846-1854, 

Moses  Cummings,  I.  C.  Goflf,  1855-1857. 

'Moses  Cummings,  1858-1861. 


Page  148— 

Following  are  the  names  of  the  editors  and  their  terms  of  service 
for  the  Gospel  Herald: 

Isaac  N.  Walter,  1843-1846. 

James  Williamson,  J.  W.  Marvin,  1846-1850. 

James  Williamson,  1850-1856. 

James  Williamson,  James  Maple,  1856-1858. 

John  Ellis,  H.  T.  Buff,  185&-1862. 

John  EllLs,  Mrs.  C.  D.  Ellis,  1862-1864. 

E.  W.  Humphreys,  J.  T.  Lynn,  1864-1865. 

H.  Y.  Rush,  1865-1867. 


Page  14{>— 

The  editors  and  their  terms  of  service,  for  the  Christian  Sun,  have 
been  as  follows : 

D.  W.  Kerr,  1844-1850. 
H.  B.  Hays,  18.50-1854. 
W.  B.  Wellons,  1854-1876. 
J.  T.  Whitley,  1876-1878. 
J.  P.  Barrett,  1878-1881. 
W.  T.  Walker,  1881-1882. 
J.  P.  Barrett,  1882-1891. 
W.  G.  Clements,  1891-1894. 

E.  L.  Moffitt,  1894-1898. 
J.  O.  Atkinson,  1898-. 


382  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Page  ISO- 
Rev.  Reuben  Potter,  of  Warren,  R.  I.,  in  1823  published  for  one  year 
the  Gospel  Palladium.  Rev.  Jasper  Hazen,  then  residing  in  Wood- 
stock, Vermont,  began  to  publish  the  Gospel  Banner  in  1826,  abandoning 
the  publication  after  one  year.  Rev.  E.  B.  Rollins,  of  Braiutree,  Ver- 
mont, published  the  Bethlehem  Star  for  one  year,  commencing  in  1824. 
Once  more  Rollins  of  Braiutree  established  a  paper,  this  time  a  semi- 
monthly called  Christian  Luminary,  associating  with  himself  in  that 
venture  J.  P.  Hendee ;  but  in  1835  tliis  light  was  drawn  into  a  larger  orb 
and  became  part  of  the  Christian  Palladium. 


Page  155 — 

A  fuller  description  of  some  of  the  volumes  mentioned,  with  others 
not  mentioned,  is  as  follows : 

A  Dictionary  of  the  New  Testament,  by  Elias  Smith.  Printed  and 
sold  by  the  Author.  Philadelphia.  Pa.,  1812.  Revised  and  enlarged 
by  Robert  Foster,  with  a  life  of  Christ  and  the  Apostles.  Christian 
Herald  Office,  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  1832. 

Illustration  of  the  Prophecies,  by  Elias  Smith.  Printed  by  Norris 
&  Sawyer,  for  the  Author.      Exeter,  N.  H.,  1808. 

The  True  Messiah,  by  David  Millard.  Published  by  J.  D.  Bemis 
&  Co.,  Canandaigua,  N.  Y.,  1823. 

The  True  Believer's  Defence,  by  Rev.  Charles  Morgridge,  Minister 
of  First  Christian  Church,  New  Bedford,  Mass.  Benjamin  H.  Greene, 
Boston,  Mass.,  1837. 

Letters  to  a  Universalist,  by  Philemon  R.  Russell.  Published  by 
D.  P.  Pike  &  Co.,  Newburyport,  Mass.,  third  edition,  1848. 

A  volume  unique  among  publications  issued  by  members  of  the 
Christian  denomination  is.  The  Mission  of  Christ,  by  Philemon  R. 
Russell,  then  Pastor  of  First  Christian  Church,  Fall  River,  Mass.  Pub- 
lished at  the  Christian  Herald  Office,  Exeter,  N.  H.,  1842.  This  was 
a  life  of  Christ. 


Page  156— 

Hymns,  Original  and  Selected,  by  Abuer  Jones  and  Elias  Smith. 
Published  at  Portland,  Me.,  1805.  The  seventh  edition  was  printed 
in  1816. 

Same  by  Robert  Foster.  Printed  at  Christian  Herald  Office,  Ports- 
mouth, N.  H.,  1825.       New  edition,  182G. 

Hymns  and  Spiritual  Songs,  by  David  Millard  and  Joseph  Badger. 


APPENDIX  383 

Published  iu  1830.  An  editiou  by  the  Christian  General  Book  Asso- 
ciation, Union  Mills.  N.  Y.,  1838. 

A  Choice  Selection  of  Tsalnis.  Ilynnis  and  Si)iritual  Songs,  compiled 
by  John  Mackenzie,  John  Rand,  Benjamin  Tutnam,  Christopher  Martin, 
and  Jasper  Ilazen.       Published  by  David  Watson,  Woodstock,  Vt.,  1819. 

The  Christian  Psalmist,  by  S.  Clough,  Wm.  Lane,  F.  Plummer. 
I.  C.  Goff  and  J.  McKeen.  Published  by  James  Kay,  Jr.,  &  Bro.,  Phila- 
delphia, and  John  I.  Kay  &  Co.,  Pittsburgh,  Pa.,  1836.  Also  editiou  by 
Moses  Cununings,  Irvington,  N.  J.,  1856. 

Somewhat  later  than  the  above  were: 

Christian  Harp,  by  B.  F.  Carter,  E.  Edmunds,  and  J.  B.  Wcston. 
Compiled  by  request  of  the  New  England  Christian  Convention.  Pub- 
lished at  Newburyport  and  Boston,  Mass.,  and  Portland,  :Me.  Second 
editiou,  1853.      Eleventh  edition,  revised  and  enlarged.  1870. 

Christian  Ilymu  Book,  by  E.  Edmunds,  T.  C.  Moulton,  D.  P.  Pike. 
Published  in  1863.  Edition  by  The  Christian  Publishing  Association, 
Dayton,  Ohio,  1869. 


CHAPTER  Vn 

Page  16(>— 

"There  is  some  doubt  as  to  the  exact  date  ou  which  Raikes  started 
his  Sunday-school,  but  assuming  that  it  was  in  1781,  there  were  cer- 
tainly four,  and  perhaps  five,  Sunday-schools  in  this  country  before  that 
date,  viz. :  at  Roxbury,  Mass.,  1674 ;  at  Newtown,  L.  I.,  1683 ;  at  Ephrata, 
Pa.,  1740;  at  Bethlehem,  Conn.,  1740,  and  at  Philadelphia.  Pa..  1744. 
The  Ephrata  school  was  interrupted  after  the  battle  of  Brandywine, 
September  11,  1777.  in  order  that  the  school  room  might  be  used  as  a 
hospital  for  the  wounded  American  soldiers." — Records  of  the  Ohio 
S.  S.  Ass'n.,  1887  and  1891. 


CHAPTER  Vni 

Page  174 — 

Following  are  the  names  and  dates  so  far  as  have  been  ascertained 
of  organization  of  conferences  during  the  years  1833-1849: 

Philadelphia    ■ 1833 

Southern  Wabash,  Illinois 1833 

Southern    Illinois    • 1833 

Pennsylvania     1834 

Michigan 1834 

Boston    1834 


384  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts   1835 

Maine  Eastern   1S36 

Maine  Western    1836 

Western  New  Jersey 1836 

Indiana  Central   1837 

Western  New  Jersey  Christian  Association   1837 

Valley  of  Virginia    ■ 1838 

Auglaize    (Northwestern   Ohio)    1838 

Eastern  Conference  of  Upper  Canada,  before 1838 

Ohio  Eastern  1839 

Indiana    Bluffton    1839 

Union,  Ohio,  about  1839 

Spoon  River,  Northwestern  Illinois 1839 

Michigan  Eastern   1840 

Northern  Illinois  and  Wisconsin   1840 

Vermont  Western    1840 

Vermont  Eastern  1841 

Illinois  Union   (Pike  County)    1841 

Western    Michigan    1841 

Prairie  Creek,  about    1841 

Mt.   Vernon   1842 

Huron,  Ohio   • 1842 

La  Porte,  Northwestern  Indiana   1842 

Western  Reserve,  Ohio   1843 

Monday  Creek,  Ohio,  about  1843 

York   and   Cumberland 1844 

Tippecanoe,  Indiana   1844 

Eel  River,  Indiana   1844 

Tioga  River,  New  York  and  Pennsylvania 1844 

Iowa  Christian  Conference    • 1845 

Gallia,    Ohio    ? 

Black  River,  New  York    1845 

New  England  Christian  Convention 1845 

Ray's    Hill,    Pennsylvania    1846 

Iowa  Christian  Conference 1846 

Indiana  Union    1846 

Southern  Christian  Association    1847 

Mt.  Gilead.  northern  Ohio  1^8 

Southeastern  Michigan    ■•  • .  1849 

Northern    Wisconsin    1849 

Virginia   Central 1849 

Wyandot,    Ohio    1849 


APPENDIX  385 

CHAPTER  X 
Page  227— 

The  principles  adopted  were  formulated  as  follows: 

1.  Tlie  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  the  only  head  of  the  Church, 

2.  The  uanie  Christian  to  the  exclusion  of  all  party  or  sectarian 
names. 

3.  The  Holy  Hihle,  or  the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testa- 
ments, our  only  Creed  or  Confession  of  Faith. 

4.  Christian  character,  or  vital  piety,  the  only  test  of  fellowship 
and  church  membership. 

5.  The  risht   of  private  .iudgment   and    liberty  of  conscience   the 
privilege  and  duty  of  all. — See  Minutes  of  ISGG. 


Page  236— 

Still  another  venture  in  New  England  was  The  TAving  Christian,  to 
be  issued  by  a  Christian  Publishing  Company  formed  in  Providence, 
R.  I.  This  was  jn-ojected  by  committees  of  the  New  England  Christian 
Convention  and  the  New  York  Eastern  Christian  Conference.  The  first 
issue  bore  date  of  January,  1873.  Rev.  Daniel  Schindler  was  editor- 
in-chief,  and  was  an  able  writer.  Rev.  A.  W.  Coan  acted  as  publishing 
agent,  and  the  paper  was  printed  in  an  office  located  in  the  old  railroad 
station  in  Providence.  The  subscription  list  is  said  to  have  been  about 
2.000,  with  700  subscribers  in  the  city  of  publication.  Plans  contem- 
plated too  expensive  a  paper,  however,  and  publication  was  suspended 
after  about  six  months. 

In  New  York  state  Rev.  I.  C.  Tryon  began  to  publish  The  Christian 
Church,  in  January,  1877,  and  issued  it  monthly  nearly  a  year ;  the  place 
of  publication  being  Eddytown  (now  Lakemont),  N.  Y.,  and  the  journal 
containing  sixteen  pages,  six  and  one-half  by  nine  and  three-quarters 
inches.  Then  he  changed  the  name  to  Christian  Palladium,  perhaps 
thinking  to  make  the  paper  eventually  a  worthy  successor  to  the  old 
Palladium.  Both  these  periodicals  were  tastily  gotten  up,  and  showed 
considerable  editorial  ability  and  some  originality.  But  support  was 
not  forthcoming,  and  issue  ceased. 

Spirit  and  Life:  A  Christian  Magazine,  was  begun  at  Yellow  Springs, 
Ohio,  October,  1890.  Rev.  Geo.  D.  Black  was  editor,  and  Rev.  C.  W. 
Garoutte,  publisher.  However,  before  the  first  volume  closed.  Rev. 
Albert  Dunlap  took  Mr.  Garoutte's  place  as  publisher.  An  editorial 
staff  was  created  to  conduct  the  second  volume,  Rev.  D.  A.  Long,  D.  D., 
being  editor-in-chief,  and  Rev.  G.  D.  Black,  Prof.  Amos  R.  Wells,  Rev. 
Martyn  Summerbell,  D.  D.,  Rev.  G.  B.  Merritt,  Rev,  L.  J.  Aldrich,  and 


38G  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Rev.  II.  J.  Stockard,  associates.  Rev.  C.  W.  Choate  was  publisher  and 
business  manager.  The  magazine  was  an  attempt  to  furnish  a  medium 
for  excliange  of  ideas  concerning  Christian  life  and  work,  upon  a  plane 
of  literary  merit  and  scholarship  which  could  not  be  otherwise  attained, 
and  was  decidedly  creditable.  Subscription  price,  $1.00  a  year.  Publi- 
cation was  suspended  at  the  end  of  the  second  volume. 


Page  236— 

In  1873  the  redoubtable  Rev.  Matthew  Gardner,  of  Ohio,  undertook 
The  Christian  Reviewer  as  a  quarterly,  printed  by  The  Christian  Publish- 
ing Association,  Dayton,  Ohio,  for  free  distribution.  He  seems  to  have 
had  no  intention  beyond  publishing  matter  which  had  been  refused 
admission  to  the  denominational  organ. 


Page  237— 

Occupying  a  distinct  tield  was  the  Christian  Publication  Society, 
formed  in  185G,  at  Irvington,  N.  J.,  by  representatives  of  six  eastern 
states.  The  denomination  then  had  no  Sunday-school  literature  or 
books ;  and  this  Society  was  designed  to  issue  tracts  for  general  distribu- 
tion, Sunday-school  books,  and  other  needful  publications.  Rev.  I.  C. 
Goff  was  the  first  President,  Rev.  P.  Roberts,  Secretary,  and  Rev.  Austin 
Craig,  Treasurer.  A  few  tracts  were  issued,  e.  g.,  a  series  called  "Com- 
mon Sense  Tract."  New  series,  No.  7,  was  "The  Missionary  and  Indian," 
by  Elder  David  Millard.      But  the  Society  did  not  long  continue. 


Page  239— 

They  were  distributed  as  follows: 

Ohio    228 

Indiana    •  •  194 

New  York    149 

Iowa 132 

Illinois    105 

Pennsylvania    66 


Page  239— 

Following  are  given  the  names  and  dates  of  conferences  organized 
during  this  period : 


APPENDIX  387 

NortbwesterD  Ohio  and  Southeastoru  Michigan    1850 

Grand  River  Valley,  Michigan 1850 

Indiana  Central  (consolidated  with  Indiana  Union)    1850 

New  York  Southern   1852 

Indiana   Miami  Reserve    1852 

Little  Wild  Cat,  Indiana    1852 

Western  Indiana   (consolidation)    1852 

Central    Illinois .1852 

Aroostook  Branch  of  Maine  Eastern   1853 

Western  Iowa  ( later  Des  Moines)   1853 

Passamaquoddy.    Maine 1854 

Killbuck,   Indiana    1855 

Michigan   State  Christian  Conference    1854 

Georgia  and  Alabama 1854 

Michigan  Association  1855 

Southern  Christian  Convention  1856 

Antioch,  Indiana 1856 

Fox  River,  Indiana  and  Illinois   1856 

Fort  Des  Moines  (formerly  Western  Iowa)   1856 

Western  Illinois 1857 

Northwestern  Iowa  1857 

Union  Miami  Reserve,  Indiana  1857 

Ohio 1857 

Otsego,  New  York,  before 1857 

Antioch,  Indiana,  united  with  Bluff  ton  later  1857 

Union  Christian   ( Iowa )    1857 

Rock  Creek,  Iowa  1858 

Central  Iowa  (made  out  of  Rock  Creek)   1858 

Schoharie  County,  New  York,  before  185? 

Maumee  Valley,  Ohio  before  1859 

Northwestern  Ohio  (formed  of  Maumee  and  Auglaize)   1859 

Southwestern  Iowa  1861 

Union  Christian,  southeastern  Indiana 1863 

Michigan    Association    1864 

Southern  Indiana  and  Illinois   1864 

Western   North   Carolina    1854 

Deep  River.   North  Carolina   1865 

New  York  State  Association   1866 

Ohio  State  Association   1866 

Richland  Union.  Wisconsin   1866 

Mazon   River,    Illinois 1866 

Jacksonville,   Illinois    1866 


388  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Northeastern   Iowa,   before    1866 

Osage,    Missouri    •. .  1866 

Grant  County,  Indiana   1867 

Indiana  Central 1867 

Nortli   Missouri    1867 

Western  North  Carolina   (colored)    1867 

Western  Pennsylvania 1870 

Northeastern  Kansas   1871 

Kentucky,   Second   District    1871 

Kentucky,  First  District 1871 

Antioch,  Iowa 1872 

Iowa   State  Conference    1872 

Northeastern    Michigan     • ? 

Virginia   Colored    1873 

Northeastern    Missouri ? 

Monongahela  Valley,  Pennsylvania    1875 

Michigan  Conference   (incoiiwrated)    1875 

North   Missouri    1876 

Nebraska    1876 

Eastern  Kansas  (formerly  Southeastern) 1876 

Indiana  State  Conference 1^^^ 

Southern  Kansas  •  •  1^^^ 


CHAPTER  XI 


Page  246— 

We  give  below  the  names  and  dates  of  some  early  missionary  socie- 
ties of  the  denomination : 


SECTIONAL 


New  England  Christian  Missionary  Society  1845 

New  England  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary  Society 1845 

Southern  Christian  Home  Missionary  Society  1858 


STATE 


Massachusetts  Christian  Benevolent  Society  1833 

New  Hampshire  Christian  Benevolent  Society I835 

Ohio   (Domestic)   Missionary  Society  I845 


APPENDIX  389 

CONFERENCE 

Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  Christian  Benevolent  Society  ....1838 

New  York  Central  Conference  Home  Missionary  Society 1840 

Erie  Conference  Home  Missionary  Society  1840 

Michigan  Home  Missionary  Society   1840 

Northern    Illinois    and    Wisconsin    Conference   Home    Missionary 

Society,   about    1843 

Northern  New  York  Conference  Home  Missionary  Society 1843 

Eastern  Michigan  Conference  Home  Missionary  Society 1843 

Western    Missionary    and   Benevolent    Society    (Clinton    and   Ionia 

Counties,  Michigan )    1844 

New  York  Eastern  Benevolent  and  Missionary  Society 1844 

New  York  Western  Conference  Home  Missionary  Society 1844 

Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island  Domestic  Missionary  Society  ....1845 
Cole  Creek   (Ind.)   Conference  Domestic  Missionary  Society,  about  1845 

Southern  Ohio  Conference  Home  Church  Missionary  Society 1850 

Pennsylvania  Conference  Missionary  Society   1851 

North  Carolina  and  Virginia  Home  Missionary  Society 185G 

New  Jersey  Christian  Missionary  Society 1858 

WOAfAN'S  CONFERENCE  AUXILIARY 

New  York  Western,  before 1857 

An  Auxiliary  is  also  mentioned  in  Michigan,  but  the  date  has  not 
been  discovered. 

CHURCH    SOCIETIES 

Female  Benevolent  Society,  New  York  City  1835 

East  Kensington,  N.  H 1840 

Boston,  Mass 1845 

SUNDAY-SCHOOL   SOCIETIES 

Portsmouth,  N.  H very  early 

Suffolk  Street  Church,  N.  Y 1844 


Page  271— 

Conferences  organized  during  the  period  1878-1894  were  as  follows : 

Tippecanoe,  Indiana,  became  Northwestern   1879 

Northern  Kansas  1878 

Spring  River,  Kansas  and  Missouri 1878 


390  THE  CHRISTIAN  DENOMINATION 

Western  Micliigan  and  Northern  Illinois  1879 

Kansas  State   1881 

Nebraska 1882 

Illinois   State 1883 

Bible  Union,  Indiana  1883 

Southern   Pennsylvania   1883 

Ozark 1884 

Kentucky  State   1890 

Eastern  Atlantic  (colored)   1890 

Southwestern  West  Virginia   1890 

Northwestern   Arkansas    1892 

Afro-Christian  Convention   1892 

Western  Arkansas 1893 

North  Carolina  and  Virginia  1894 

Western  North  Carolina    1894 

Eastern  North  Carolina    1894 

Western  Washington   1894 


CHAPTER  XIV 

Page  308— 

In  1SG9  the  Southern  Convention  spoke  on  union.  Pres.  W.  B. 
Wellons,  in  his  annual  address  before  the  Convention  the  next  year  said: 
"We  must  continue  in  a  position  to  co-operate  with  all  who  are  laboring 
for  union  among  the  followers  of  a  common  Saviour.  But  we  cannot 
allow  ourselves  to  be  lost  in  pursuit  of  our  object,  even  as  desirable  as 
this  is.  We  must  maintain  our  organization,  and  hold  ourselves  in  read- 
iness to  co-operate  with  those  who  may  become  ready  by  and  by  to  step 
onto  our  platform."  The  Convention  passed  a  preamble  and  resolutions 
calling  upon  all  Christians  of  all  denominations  to  promote  the  "unity 
of  the  Spirit  in  the  bond  of  peace ;"  maintained  the  necessity  for  belief 
in  certain  fundamental  doctrines  and  profession  of  that  belief  by  all 
seeking  church  membership;  and  expressed  the  opinion  that  "there  is  a 
sufficient  community  of  feeling  and  belief  among  evangelical  denomina- 
tions to  form  a  basis  of  union,  without  binding  the  consciences  of  men 
in  those  matters  which  are  but  of  secondary  importance."  This  mani- 
festo caused  considerable  comment  in  the  religious  press  of  the  South. 


APPENDIX  391 

CHAPTER  XVI 

rage  349— 

Conferences  organized  in  this  period  are  as  follows: 

Texas  Northern   IS^-'^ 

Red  Kivei',  Indian  Territory l^^''^ 

Maine  (made  out  of  Eastern  and  Maine  Central)    1895 

Southwestern  Tennsylvania 1S9.'> 

Northeastern  Ohio 1895 

West   Virginia    189G 

Oklahoma 189G 

Scioto   Valley    1897 

Western  North  Carolina 1897 

Southwestern  West  Virginia   1898 

Central    Wisconsin    1898 

Northwestern   Kansas 1900 

Ozark,    Missouri    1903 

Mouse  River,  North  Dakota    1903 

Ohio   Valley    1903 

Northwestern  North  Dakota 1904 

Illinois    1905 


INDEX 


INDEX 


A  letter  "n"  indicates  a  footnote 


Abbreviations.  11 

Adams.  J.  Q..   194 

Advent  ism.  Second.  17."  ;  efifect  on 
("tiristian  denomination,  175 

Advent  Christians,  indebted  to  Cliris- 
tian  denomination.  17C 

Afliliation  in  education,  '.VM 

African  Colonization  Society.  2,52 

Afro-Cliristian  Convention,  271  ;  and 
South  American   mission,  .S44 

Afro-Union  Cliristian  Convention,  344 

Aued  Ministers'  Home,  8.57 

Aldrich.  Rev.  L.  .T.,  president  Union 
Christian  College.  281,  321 ;  editor 
Hfiirit  and  Life,  385 

Alerton.  Rev.  Reuben,  n.  114 

Alexanian,  Rev.  M.  G.,  and  proposed 
Armenian  mission,  353 

Allen,  I.  W.,  and  Merom  Bluff  Acad- 
emy, 108 

American  Board  of  Commissioners 
for  Foreign  Missions,  353 

AniericfDi   {'lirislinn,  2.83 

American  Christian  Convention  (see 
General  Christian  Conference  and 
Christian  General  Convention), 
257-260.  337,  338 ;  and  union 
iiuestion,  25S ;  places  of  meeting, 
370  ;  list  of  presidents  and  secre- 
taries, 370 

American  Christian  Church  Exten- 
sion Society.  251 

"American   Nation,   The,"   history,  81 

Amos,  Rev.  .T.  E..  and  Illinois  State 
Christian  Conference.  2G8 

Andrew,  W..  and  Manual  Labor 
School,  102 

Annual  of  the  Christian  Church, 
fouth.  240,  272 

Antioch  College,  .sketch  of,  101-107; 
last  attempt  of  Christians  to  con- 
trol, 278,  270  ;  distinguished  alum- 
ni, 280  ;  mention  of,  307 

Appendix,  360-301 

Apple,  Rev.  C.  A.,  prepares  Manual 
for  Sunday  School  use,  168  ;  pres- 
ident of  SufTolk  Collegiate  Insti- 
tute, 275 

Armenian   mission,  proposed.  353 

Asburv.  Bishop  Francis.  73  ;  opposed 
by  b'Kelly,  88  ;   mentioned,  371 

Atkinson.  Rev.  D.  B..  5 ;  president 
.Tlreh  College.  333  ;  history  of  Tler- 
aUl  of  Oos/irl  Lihrrii/.  360  ;  presi- 
dent  Wyoming   Conference.   340 

Atkinson.  Rev.  .1.  O.,  editor  Cliriitian 
Sun,  340,  381 


Backus,  Rev.  Isaac,  Baptist  minister 
and  historian,  n.  84  ;  maintains  re- 
ligious liberty,  370,  371 

Badger,  Rev.  .Toseph,  meets  Klnkade, 
61  ;  preaches  in  I'rovince  of  Quebec, 
113;  memoir  of.  118.  160,  214; 
editor  of  Christian  Palladium,  145, 
3S1  ;  quits  editorsliip,  152  ;  con- 
nected with  Mcadville  Theological 
School.  200  ;  relations  with  <}eneral 
Bajjtists.  310 ;  proposes  basis  of 
union,  311  ;  temperance  advocate, 
362  ;  president  of  General  Confer- 
ence, 379 ;  editor  of  hymn  book, 
382 

Bagley,  Rev.  William,  agent  for  Le 
(irand  College,  205 

Baker,  Rev.  M.  W..  directs  Christian 
Correspondence  College,  327 

Baptists  persecuted  In  New  England 
and  Virginia.  84,  86 

Barr,  Rev.  Oliver,  mentioned,  192 ; 
agent  for  Antioch  College,  201  ; 
secretary  of  General  Conference, 
370 ;  editor  of  Herald  of  Gospel 
Liberty,  380;  editor  of  Christian 
Palladium,  381. 

Barrett,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  D.  P.,  mis- 
sionaries. 353 

Barrett.  Rev.  .7.  P.,  makes  historical 
compilation.  0 ;  pastor  at  Norfolk, 
Va..  263;  edits  Christian  Sun.  283, 
381  ;  relations  with  Christian  Or- 
phanage. 330  ;  edits  "Modern  Light 
Bearers."  360 ;  edits  Herald  of 
Oospcl  Lihertii,  380 

Barrett.  Rev.  Mills,  244.  248 

Barrett.  Rev.  Mills  B.,  240 

Biirrett.   Rev.   Stephen  S'..  248 

Barry.  Mrs.  Elizabeth  D.,  treasurer 
Woman's  Board  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, 287 

Bartlett,  Rev.  Thomas,  principal  of 
New  England  Christian  Literary 
Institute.  209;  proposes  college  in 
Kansas.  267  ;  president  of  Kansas 
Christian  College,  276,  277,  324 ; 
sketch  of  his  life,  277 

Batchelor.  Rev.  B.  S.,  and  Cralgville 
Camp  Meeting  Association,  261 

Batchelor,  Miss  Annie  E.,  secretary 
Woman's  Board  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, 287 

Beale,  Rev.  E.  W.,  and  "Children's 
Corner."  330 

Beardshear,  Rev.  Ilugh,  and  "Chil- 
dren's Mission,  284 


396 


INDEX 


Beck,  Rev.  C.  A.,  president  of  Frank- 
linton  Christian  College,  331 

Beecher,  Rev.  Henry  Ward,  202 

Bell,  W.  A.,  president  of  Antioch 
College,  197 

Bellows,  Rev.  H.  W.,  and  Antioch  Col- 

Bethlehem  Star.  382 

Bible  Class  Quarterly,   283 

"Bible   Doctrine,   Tlie,"    177,   178 

Biblical  School,  proposed,  at  Andover 
Center,  N.  H.,  201 

Bibliography,  66,  67,  81,  100,  118, 
135,  156,  160.  186,  214,  240,  253, 
272,   294,   333,   366 

Bishop,  Rev.  Emily  K.,  vice-president 
Woman's  Board  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, 287  ;  visits  Japan,  351 

Bishop,  Rev.  J.  G.,  7  ;  mission  secre- 
tary, 260 ;  establishes  Christian 
Missionary,  290  ;  visits  Japan,  351 

Black,  Rev.  G.  D.,  editor  Spirit  and 
Life,  385 

Blackmar,  Rev.  Joseph,  n.  229 

Boody,  Rev.  Joseph,  preaches  in  Prov- 
ince of  Quebec,  113 ;  mentioned, 
244 

Books,  early,  154,  155,  383 

Borthwick,  Rev.  M.  W.,  field  secre- 
tary, 341 

Bowdish,  Rev.  S.  B.,  305 

Bowdoin  College,  328 

Boyce,  James  A.,  principal  of  Defiance 
College.  330 

Briney,  Rev.  Mark  D.,  n.  303 

Brinkworth,  Rev.  J.  A.,  of  General 
Baptists,  310 

Brown,  Rev.  S.,  and  Manual  Labor 
School,  162 

Brush.  J.  E.,  agent  of  Franklinton 
Christian  College,  285 

Bryant,  Charles,  editor  Herald  of 
Gospel  Liberty,  380 

Buff,  N.  G.,  and  Union  Christian 
College.   198 

Buff,  H.  T..  editor  Gospel  Herald,  381 

Bureau  of  the  Census :  Religious 
Bodies,  306 

Burlingame,  Rev.  James,  and  propos- 
ed African  mission,  252 

Burnett,  Rev.  J.  F.,  7 ;  delegate  to 
Pittsburgh  Conference,  314  ;  secre- 
tary of  American  Christian  Con- 
vention,  380 

Butler.  Rev.  John,  Unitarian  minis- 
ter, 86,  306 

Butler,  Rev.  S.  Wright,  and  Craig- 
ville  Camp  Meeting  Association, 
261 

Butterfield,  Hon.  Samuel,  209 

Cameron,  Rev.  E.,  267  ;  and  Kansas 
Christian  College,  276,  277,  278, 
324 

Campbell,  Rev.  Alexander,  51  ;  sketch 
of  career,  129,  130 ;  meets  Stone, 
130 ;  chooses  name  "Disciples  of 
Christ,"  131  ;  and  Kentucky  "un- 
ion," 303  ;  doctrine  of  immersion, 
376 


Campbell,  Rev.  .John  A.,  268 

Campbell,  Rev.  Sylvanus,  n.  114 

Campbell,  Thomas,  and  "The  Chris- 
tian Association  of  Washington," 
129  ;  Declaration  and  Address,  129  ; 
elder  in  Brush  Run  church,  130 

"Campbellism,"  129-135  ;  in  southern 
Ohio,  304  ;   in  Pennsylvania,  305 

Canadian  Christian  Luminary,  153 

Cane  Ridge  revival,  77-79 

Carnegie,  Hon.  Andrew,  benefactor  of 
Defiance  College,   329 

Carney,  Frank,  principal  of  Starkey 
Seminary,  320 

Carter,  Rev.  B.  F.,  editor  Herald  of 
Gospel  Liberty,  380 ;  editor  hymn 
book,  382 

"Centennial  of  Religious  Journalism," 
book,  153,  156,  253,  294,  333,  360, 
366 

Central  Convention  proposed,  221 

Chadwick.  Rev.  Edmund,  principal  of 
Starkey  Seminary,  164.  320 ;  and 
New  England  Christian  Convention. 
n.  229 

Channing,  Rev.  Ellery,  Unitarian 
minister,  161 

Characteristics  of  Christians'  move- 
ment in  the  south,  373,  375  ;  in  the 
north,  376 

Children's  Day,  284 

Children's  Mission,  The,  284 

Choate,  Rev.  C.  W.,  secretary  of 
Christian  Publishing  Association, 
282  ;  editor  of  Spirit  and  Life,  386 

Christian  Ape,  The,  266 

Christian  Almanac  (see  Christian 
Register  and  Almanac),  169,  214, 
240 

Christian  Annual,  The,  n.  128,  240, 
366 

Christian  Ark,  343 

Christian  Banner,  233 

Christian  Biblical  Institute,  history 
of,  201-203 ;  and  Convention  of 
1866,  221  ;  dedication  of  buildings, 
223  ;  removal  to  Defiance.  323 : 
presidents  of,  324  ;  mentioned,  329 

Christian  Connection,  same  as  Chris- 
tian Church,  or  Christian  denomi- 
nation, 304 

Christian  Church  (denomination),  or- 
ganization in  Virginia,  91  ;  spread 
into  North  Carolina,  92  ;  organized 
in  New  England,  93  ;  organized  in 
Kentucky,  97 ;  rapid  spread,  97 ; 
period  of  sporadic  growth,  101-118  ; 
in  Province  of  Ontario.  125  ;  divis- 
ion over  slavery,  220  ;  an  interna- 
tional body,  222,  293  ;  decries  "spec- 
ulative theology,"  17(3 ;  begins  "the- 
ologising,"  177 

Christian  Correspondence  College, 
278,  326 

Christian  Educational   Society,  279 

Christian  P^ndeavor  Department  of 
the  American  Christian  Convention, 
259  ;  of  the  New  England  Christian 
Convention,    261 

Christian   Endeavor,   third  society    in 


INDEX 


397 


America  orsanlzed  In  Christian 
Church.  I2r>;»  ;  (UMiominat  ioiial  ral- 
lies, 2G(> :  in  Soullioru  Convention, 
o40  ;  mentioned,  3til 

Chriistiun  Endcuvur  World,  360 

Cliristian  Ceueral  Book  Association, 
143-147,  18!),  1:1:0 

Cliristian  General  Convention  (see 
(ieneral  Christian  Conference  and 
American  Christian  Convention), 
session  of  1850,  189,  100 ;  session 
of  1854,  217-2i:it  ;  sessions  of  1858, 
1862,  1800,  220,  221  ;  l)econies 
American  Christian  Convention, 
222  ;  session  of  1870,  222  ;  session 
of  1872,  22:5  ;  dedicates  Christian 
Biblical    Institute,   223 

Chrixtiun  Hcnild,  continuation  of 
Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty,  122,  128, 
147,  152  ;  flies  of,  135,  150,  180, 
235,  253 ;  regarded  as  ofliclal  pa- 
per, 141  ;  mentioned,  142 

Christian  Mu(/a~i>tc,  The,  now  called 
Christian  Vanf/uard,  235,  283 

Christian  Messenger,  of  B.  W.  Stone, 
132.  133,   153.  233,  298,  303 

Christian  Messenger,  in  New  England, 
341 

Christian  Ministers'  Life  Assurance 
Association,  222,  n.  223 

Christian  Missionary  Association, 
South,  340 

Christian  Missionary,  The,  289,  333. 
300 

Cliristian  Monitor,  343 

Christian  Offering,  233,  235 

Christian   Orphanage,   sketch   of,    339 

Christian  Palladium,  118,  135;  ac- 
quired by  Christian  General  Book 
Association.  144.  148.  152  ;  consoli- 
dated with  Herald  of  Oospel  Liber- 
ty, 147  ;  description  of,  152  ;  flies 
of,  156,  169.  186.  214.  240,  253; 
mentioned.  168,  233.  235,  382  ;  edi- 
tors of.   381 

Christian  Publishing  Association,  his- 
tory of.  n.  153.  150.  223-234  ;  In- 
corporation. 282  ;  publications  of, 
282 ;  new  publishing  plant,  355, 
356 

Christian  Publication  Society,  n.  234, 
386 

Christian  Pulpit,  The,  236 

Christian  Renister  and  Almnnnc  (see 
Christian  Almanac,  Christian  Year 
Book  and  Almanac,  Christian  Year 
Book),  128,  135,  186,  247,  .360 
Christian  Relief  Association,  The, 
225 

Christian   Rericiccr,   The.   386 

Christian  Sun.  1.53,  156,  169,  227, 
235,  263.  283.  333.  340  ;  editors  of, 
381 

Christian  Theology.  236 

Christian  Union,  by  Matthew  Gard- 
ner. 152;  consolidated  with  Herald 
of  Gospel  Liberty.  152 

Christian  Union,  resolution  on,  227, 
228 


Christian  University,  projected,  259, 
328 

Christian  Vanguard  (see  The  Chris- 
tian Magazine),  283 

Christian   Visitor,  343 

Church  Union,  311,  312 

Clapp.  Rev.  .1.  A.,  and  Illinois  State 
Cliristian  Conference,  207 

Clark,  David,  benefactor  of  Christian 
Biblical  Institute,  203.  223 

Clark,  Rev.  F.  E.,  and  Christian  En- 
deavor, 259 

Clements.  Rev.  W.  G.,  editor  Chris- 
tian t<un,  283.  381 

Click.  Rev.   William.  268 

Clough.  Rev.  Simon,  editor  Gospel 
Luminary,  i;'>5,  151  ;  trustee  Chris- 
tian P.iiok  Association,  n.  144;  his 
library,  224  ;  president  of  the  Gen- 
eral Christian  Conference,  379; 
editor  of  hymn  book,  382 

Coan,  Rev.  A.  W.,  president  of  the 
American  Christian  Convention, 
380  ;  editor  Herald  of  Gospel  Liber- 
ty, 380 ;  publisher  of  27ic  Living 
Christian,  385 

Coate,  S.  T.  and  Harriet,  benefactors 
of  Le  Grand  College,  206 

Coe,  Rev.  I.  II..  and  the  Christian 
Church  Extension  Societ.v,  n.  251  ; 
president  of  American  Christian 
Convention,    380 

Coffin,  Rev.  L.,  and  the  American 
Christian  Convention,  n.  222 ;  and 
"union"  meeting.  305 ;  and  Aged 
Ministers"  Home,  358 

Coke,  Bishop,  371 

College  building,  275-281 

Collver,  Rev.  Robert,  and  Antioch, 
197 

Colored  conferences,  270-271,  343 ; 
statistics  of,  270.  344 

Conferences,  county,  suggested,  122 ; 
state,  suggested,  122 

Conferences,  early,   120-129 

Conferences,  elders'  (see  Elders'  con- 
ferences),  123 

Conferences,    first    delegated.    123 

Conference.  General  Christian  (see 
Christian  (Jeneral  Convention, 
American  Christian  Convention), 
first  mentioned.  139 ;  sessions  of 
1820.  1821.  1820,  1827,  1831.  139, 
140,  141,  142;  forms  Christian 
Book  Association,  143 ;  dissolved, 
reorganized,  changes  name,  144  ; 
sessions    of    1838,    1842.    1846.    145 

Conferences,  new.  173.  271,  272,  342, 
377,  384,  387,  389,  390,  391  ;  types 
of  organization.   126,   127 

Congregationalists,     and     the     Amer- 
ican Christian  Convention,  258 
Conibear.    Rev.    G.    A.,    secretary    of 
Christian      Endeavor      Department, 
2.59.  260 
Consolidation  of  periodicals.  233 
Cooper.  Rev.  Fred,  president  of  Weau- 

bleau  Christian    College.  323 
Copeland,  Rev.  Justin,  270 


398 


INDEX 


Comings,  Rev.  A.  G.,  publishes  maR- 
azine,  236 

Cornell   Universitv,  327 

Core,  Rev.  J.  C,  343 

CraiR,  Rev.  Austin,  and  New  Jersey 
Conference  address.  176  ;  "Life  and 
Letters  of."  186  ;  president  of  An- 
tioch  College,  197  ;  professor  in 
Meadville  Theological  School,  201  ; 
president  of  Christian  Biblical  In- 
stitute. 201,  324 ;  sketch  of  life. 
202 ;  editor  of  Herald  of  Gospel 
Liberty,  380 ;  treasurer  of  Chris- 
tian Publication  Society,  386 

Craigville,  on  Cape  Cod,  261,  262 

Craigville  Camp  Meeting  Association, 
sketch  of.  261-263 

Cram,  Mrs.  Nancy,  Free  Baptist 
preacher,  n.  114 

Crooker,  Rev.  Samuel,  n.  114 

Crosbv,  Rev.  B.  S.,  and  Aged  Minis- 
ters" Home.  3.58 

Cummings,  Rev.  Moses,  editor  Chris- 
tian Palladium,  381  ;  publishes 
hymn  book,  382 

Dales,  Prof.  J.  N.,  5 ;  and  Queen's 
University,  331 

Derbv,  S.  C,  president  of  Antioch 
College,  197 

Dawson,  Rev.  N..  n.  363 

Dearing,  Rev.  C,  Becretary  General 
Conference,  380 

Deliate  between  Rev.  Frederick  Plum- 
mer  and  Rev.  W.  L.  McCalla.  178  : 
between  Rev.  N.  Summerbell  and 
Rev.  J.  M.  Flood,  178 

Defiance  Female  Seminary  (see  Defi- 
ance College),  327 

Defiance  College,  sketch  of,  327-330 

Denison.  Rev.  W.  H.,  originator  of 
missionary  conference,  354 

Denominational  consciousness,  189- 
191 

De  Vore.  Rev.  E.  A.,  5 ;  and  Chris- 
tian Correspondence  College,   278 

Disestablishment  of  church  in  Massa- 
chusetts, 371 

Disciples  of  Christ  call  themselves 
"Christians"  and  "Christian 
Church"  through  Stone's  influence, 
135 ;  history  of,  by  Prof.  Errett 
Gates,   135 

Doberty,  Rev.  W.  H.,  and  Graham 
Institute.  208 

Duckworth.  Rev.  .Tohn,  trustee  Chris- 
tian Book  Association,  n.  144 

Dunhip.  Rev.  Albert,  publisher  Spirit 
and  Life.  385 

Dunlavy.   Rev.  John,   50 

Dunn,  Rev.  G.  W.,  and  Franklinton 
Christian  College,  285 

"E.\RLY  Lessons  About  Ouk  Sav- 
iour," 237 

Eastern  Christian  Publishing  Asso- 
ciation,   356 

Eastman,  C.  A.,  on  "union"  in  In- 
diana, 304 


Eaton,    A.    H.    and    Rev.    11.    M.,   and 

academy,   212 
Echo,  The,  343 
Ecliolls.  Rev.  Joseph,  n.  Ill 
Edmunds,  Rev.   E.,  editor  hymn  book, 

382 
Education,   attitude    of  early   leaders 

toward.   159 
Educational  magazine,  237 
Educational  Society,  in  New  England. 

230 
Elders'    conferences,    108 ;    first    dele- 
gated,  139  ;  dates  of,  378 
Ellis,    Mrs.    C.    D.,    editor  Herald   of 

Gospel  Liberty,  381 
Ellis,     Rev.    John,    on    "union"    with 

Disciples.    806 ;    editor    Herald    of 

Gospel  Liberty,  381 
Ellison,    Prof.    Charles,    principal    of 

I^e  Grand  Christian  Institute,  205, 

322 
Elon   College,   and    Southern    Conven- 
tion :    entertains    Convention.    263 ; 

mentioned,  276  ;  sketch  of,  324-326  ; 

presidents   of,   326 
Enders,    Rev.    G.    C,    president    Jireh 

College,  332 
Engle.    Mrs.    Ardella    B.,   benefactress 

of  Defiance  College,  329 
Evans.    Rev.    J.    Q.,    principal    of    Le 

Grand  Christian  Institute,  205.  322 
Evans,     Prof.     R.     D.,     principal     of 

Starkey  Seminary,  212,  320 

Fanton,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  S.  B.,  858 

Fay,  Rev.  Eli,  and  Antioch  College, 
194 

Fernald,  Rev.  Mark,  129 ;  autobiog- 
raphy mentioned.  135,  169,  244, 
253 ;  temperance  advocate,  362 ; 
president    General    Conference,    379 

Fess.  Rev.  S.  D.,  president  of  Antioch 
College,  197 

Flanimer.  Rev.  William,  president 
Jireh  College,  333 

Flood.  Rev.  J.  M.,  178 

Foreign  missions,  early  efforts,  agita- 
tion, opposition.  252 ;  account  of, 
286-289;  African  mission,   286 

Foreword.  5-7 

Foster,  Rev.  J.  L.,  and  Christian  Or- 
phanage. 339 

Foster,  Rev.  .Tonathan.  letter  of.   373 

Foster.  Robert,  publishes  Christian 
Herald  (see  Herald  of  Gospel  Lib- 
erty), 42.  122.  380;  secretary  of 
General  Conference,  379 ;  editor 
hymn  book,  382 

Fowler,  Rev.  D.  W..  and  Indiana 
State  Conference.  267 

Franklinton  Christian  College.  257, 
271.   284.  286;  sketch  of.  330.   .331 

Franklinton  Literary  and  Theological 
Institute  (see  Franklinton  Chris- 
tian College),  257 

Free  Baptists,  rise  In  New  Hamp- 
shire. 86  ;  and  American  Christian 
Convention,  258 ;  see  also  under 
"Union" 


INDEX 


399 


Freeman,  Rev.  James,  Unitarian  min- 
ister, so,  ;{(i(*, 

Freeman,  Uev.  \V.  A.,  349 

Freese,  .T.  K..  M.  I).,  "History  and 
Advocacy  of  tlie  Christian  Churcli," 
(?,  lis  ;  mentioned,  ISO;  secretary 
(Jeneral  (N)nfcrence,  379 

Fricndln  Christian,  The,  236 

Frost,  .lames  S.,  and  Ajjed  Ministers' 
Home.  :{.">S 

Fry,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  E.  C,  mission- 
aries,  L'S!),  :i'>'2 

Fry,  Rev.  Harvey,  347 

Fuller,  Rev.  Mr.,  Unitarian  minister, 
307 

Garbutt,  Rev.  Thomas,  and  The 
Christian  Magazine.  235,  283 

Gardner,  Rev.  Matthew,  puhlishes 
CJiristian  Union,  li>2 ;  autobioffra- 
phy  of,  214  ;  publishes  The  Chris- 
tian Reviewer,  386 

Garfield,  Gen.  .Tames  A.,  202 

Garman.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  C.  P.,  mis- 
sionaries, 350 

Garoutte,  Rev.  C.  W..  n.  257 ;  pub- 
lisher Spirit  and  Life,  385 

Gates,  I'rof.  Frrett,  "The  Disciples 
of  Christ,"  135 

Gee.  Rev.  Robert,  secretary  State 
Kentucky  Christian  Conference, 
268,  269 

General  meetings,   108 

General  Christian  Conference  (see 
Christian  General  Convention, 
American  Christian  Convention), 
places  of  meetinp.  378.  379 ;  list 
of   presidents    and    secretaries,    379 

Genessee  Christian  Association,  148 

Ohifi  Tidings,  283 

Goff.  Rev.  I.  C.  trustee  Christian 
Book  Association,  n.  144 ;  and 
Christian  Biblical  Institute,  203, 
224  ;  and  American  Christian  Con- 
vention, n.  222  ;  and  "union."  305  ; 
editor  hymn  book,  382 ;  president 
Christian    Publication    Society,   386 

Goodins.  Rev.  Alfred,  360 

Goodman,  Rev.  A.  .T.,  268 

Gordon,   S.  D.,  360 

Gospel  Banner.  382 

Gospel  Herald,  published  by  Ohio 
Christian  Book  Association.  148 
consolidated  with  Herald  of  Gospel 
Libertif.  148.  152:  described.  152 
mentioned,  168 :  tiles  of,  169,  186 
214,  233,  240,  253  ;  list  of  editors 
381 

Gospel  Luminaru.  tiles  of  118,  135, 
156.   186:  mentioned.  142 

Gospel  Palladium,  proposed,  382 

fJrabowski.  Col.  A.,  principal  of  De- 
tiance  College.  330 

Graham  Institute,  164  ;  sketch  of, 
207.  208 

Graham  Colleffe.  sketch  of.  208,  209 

Gray,  Rev.  ,Iohn  P.,  110,  111,  244 

Gray,  Hon.  I.  IT.,  and  Christian  Pub- 
lishing Association,   356 

Greeley,  Horace,  202 


Growth  of  the  denomination,  173-176, 

238,  271 
Gulrey,    Rev.    William,    missionary    to 

West    Indies,    n.    244 ;    extracts    of 

letters  of,   371,  372 
(iullett.    Miss    Susie    V.    (Mrs.    E.    C. 

Fry),   289 
Gustin,  C.  M..  262 

Gustin,  Rev.  Ellen  G..  secretary  Wo- 
man's Board  for  Foreign   Missions, 

287 
Guthrie,   Mrs.  ,Tosei)hine,  principal  of 

I>e  Grand  Christian   Institute,  205, 

322 

Haa.s,  Prof.  Haurv,  dean  of  Palmer 
College.  322 

Ilackett.  Hon.  Wallace,  360 

Haggard,  Rev.  Rice,  sketch  of  life, 
20-23  :  biography  of  mentioned,  67  ; 
mentioned.  244 

Hale.  Rev.  Edward  Everett.  197 

Ilayley  (Ilaley),  Rev.  J.  W.,  princi- 
pal of  New  England  Christian  In- 
stitute. 209  :  and  American  Chris- 
tian Convention,  n.  222  ;  editor 
Herald   of  Gospel   Libertif,   380 

Ilaley.  Miss  IT.  Lizzie,  evangelist,  363 

Hammond,  Rev.  G.  R.,  principal 
Starkev  Seminary,  281.  320 ;  and 
Union  Christian  College,  321 

Harper,  W.  A.,  president  Elon  Col- 
lege, 326 

Harris,  Rev.  Robert,  and  Illinois 
State  Christian  Conference,  267 

Hathaway,  Elisha,  benefactor  of 
Starkev  Seminary,  212 

Hathaway,  Rev.  Levi.  203.  244 

Hathaway,  Rev.  Warren.  203 

Hayes,  Rev.   William,  270 

Hays,  Rev.  IT.  B.,  editor  Christian 
l^un,  381 

Hazel,  Rev.  William,  270 

Ilazen,  Rev.  .Tasper.  organizes  church 
in  New  York.  114  ;  editor  ChriJstian 
Palladium,  135.  381  :  secretary 
General  Convention,  370 :  editor 
Herald  of  Gospel  Libert;/,  380  ; 
editor  hymn  book,  382  ;  editor  Gos- 
pel Banner,  382 

Heath,  Rev.  A.  R..  benefactor  Union 
Christian   College.    198.    200 

Ilelfenstein.  I{ev.  D.  ^1.,  president  Uo 
Grand  Christian  College.  281,  322; 
trustee  Christian  Publishing  Asso- 
ciation, 356 

Ilendee,  Rev.  .T.  P.,  editor  Christian 
Luminary,  382 

Henderson.  Rev.  J.  A.,  343 

Henry,  I'atrick,  15 

Henry,  Mrs.  P.  A,,  editor  Christian 
Offering.  235 

Henry.  Rev.  Thomas,  and  Canadian 
Christian  Luminarji,  n.   153 

Herald  of  Gospel  Libert}/,  (named  al- 
so Christian  Herald.  Christian 
Journal,  Christian  Herald  and 
Journal,  Christian  Herald  and 
Mcsscnoer) ,  oldest  religious  news- 
paper in  the  world,  71  ;  history  of, 


400 


INDEX 


109 ;  purchased  by  Robert  Foster, 
li;2 ;  acquired  by  The  Christian 
I'ublishing  Association,  147 ;  files 
of,  lis,  152,  153,  240,  253,  272, 
294,  353,  366  ;  mentioned,  233,  234. 
260,  282,  284,  286,  309,  338  ;  and 
missions,  243  ;  Centennial  of,  359  ; 
graphic  history  of,  opposite  372 ; 
list  of  editors,  380 

Herford,  Rev.  Brooke,  197 

Hess,  Jasper  N.,  and  Christian  Tub- 
lishing  Association,  356 

HigKS,  Rev.  N.  E..  344 

Hill,  Rev.  Thomas,  president  of  Anti- 
och  College,  197 

Himes,  Rev.  J.  V.,  and  Manual  Labor 
School,  162 ;  secretary  of  General 
Conference,  379 

"History  and  Advocacy  of  the  Chris- 
tian Church,"  J.  R.  Freese,  118, 
186 

"History  of  the  Christian  Church," 
N.   Siimmerbell.   100,   169,   186,   240 

"History  of  the  People  of  the  United 
States,"  J.  B.  McMaster,  81 

"History  of  All  the  Religious  De- 
nominations," John  Winebrenner, 
100 

"History  of  the  United  States," 
Henry  Adams,  81 

"History  of  the  United  States," 
Louis  Elson,  81 

Hix,  Rev.  Daniel,  president  of  Gen- 
eral Conference,  379 

Hoag,  Rev.  J.  R.,  publisher  Christian 
O'fferino,  235 

Hodge,  S.  F.,  principal  Defiance  Col- 
lege. 328,  330 

Holmes,  Rev.  Thomas,  mentioned, 
189 ;  volunteers  for  African  mis- 
sion, 253  :  president  Union  Chris- 
tian College,  321 

Holt,  Rev.  John  R.,  noted  educator 
and  founder  of  schools,  164,  208 

Holy  Neck  Female  Seminary,  212, 
276 

Home  and  Foreign  Missions  of  the 
American  Christian  Convention, 
Board  of,  251 

Home  missionaries  supported  by 
Christian  General  Book  Associa- 
tion,  250 

Home  missions  :  in  the  Southern  Con- 
vention, 263 ;  fields  and  forces, 
344,  345 ;  in  cities.  347  ;  in  the 
far  west,  347 ;  In  North  Dakota, 
347 ;  in  the  southwest,  348 ;  in 
Canada,  348 ;  in  Wyoming,  349 ; 
city  churches,   list  of,  349 

Home  Missionary  Society  in  East 
Kensington,  249,  389 

Honeyoye  Falls  Select  School,  163 

Hosmer,  Rev.  George  W.,  president 
Antioch  College,  197 

Houston,  Rev.  Matthew,  50 

Howard,  Rev.  T.  W.,  and  Colorado 
mission,  347 

Howell,  Rev.  Seth  A.,  missionary,  252 

Howell,  Rev.  S.  A.,  and  South 
American  mission,  344 


Hubbell,  Prof.  G.  A.,  biography  of 
Horace  Mann,  214 

Humphreys,  Rev.   Daniel,  268 

Humphreys,  Rev.  E.  W.,  and  Merom 
Bluff  Academy,  198 ;  and  Antioch 
College.  279  ;  on  "union"  with  the 
Disciples,  306  ;  mentioned,  n.  363  ; 
editor  Herald  of  Oospcl  Liberty, 
381 

Hundredth  anniversary  of  the  denom- 
ination,  259 

Hymn  books,  early,  382 

Hymnology,   155,   156 

Indians  being  evangelized,  252 
Ingoldsby,    Rev.    O.    F..    principal    of 

Starkey  Seminary.  211,  281,  320 
"Intermediate  Quarterly,  The,"  283 
Iseley,  Rev.  Alfred,  249 

Jackson,  Rev.  P.  L..  n.  Ill 

Jameson,  Rev.  H.  L..  memorial  ad- 
dress of,  n.   107,  112 

Japan  mission,  288 ;  first  convert, 
first  ordained  pastor,  first  church, 
289  ;  recruits,  statistics,  visited  by 
Mission  Secretary,  350,  351  ; 
schools,  351,  352 

Jefferson,  TTiomas,  name  associated 
with  O'Kelly's,  15,  19  ;  branded  as 
an  infidel,  87 

"Jesus  the  Messiah,"  a  catechism, 
168 

Jesus  in  His  Offices,  236 

Jireh   College,  332 

Johnson,  Rev.  J.  A.,  of  British 
Guiana,  344 

Johnson,  Rev.  J.  T.,  Disciple  minis- 
ter, 132,  133 ;  on  Kentucky  "un- 
ion," 303 ;  associated  with  B.  W. 
Stone,   51 

Jones,  Rev.  Abner,  sketch  of  life,  23- 
31  ;  organizes  first  free  Christian 
Church  in  New  England,  27,  03 ; 
biography  of,  66  ;  why  he  quit  the 
Baptists,  93,  98 ;  temperance  ad- 
vocate, 362 ;  president  General 
Conference,  379 ;  editor  of  hymn 
book,   382 

Jones,  Rev.  C.  J.,  pastor  Memorial 
Temple,  263 ;  president  Union 
Christian  College,  321  ;  editor 
Christian  Messenger,  341  ;  editor 
Herald  of  Oospel  Liberty,  380 

Jones,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  D.  F.,  mission- 
aries. 264  ;  go  to  Japan,  286  ;  go  to 
China,  289 

Jones.  Rev.  D.  W.,  publisher  The 
Christian  Aqe,  266 

Jordan.  Rev.  Thomas,  n.  Ill 

Journalistic  ventures,   235 

Kansas  Christian  College,  sketch 
of,  276-278  ;  presidents  of,  324 

Kay.  Isaac,  M.  D.,  sent  first  dollar 
for  foreign  missions,  286 

Keifer.  Miss  C.  Ella,  secretary  Wo- 
man's Board  for  Home  Missions, 
288 


INDEX 


401 


Keifep.  TTon.  J.  Warren,  and  Antloch 
ColleRe.  197 

Keller.  Mrs.  O.  II.,  vice-president 
Woman's  Board  for  Home  Mis- 
sions, 2SS 

Kentucky,  sketcli  of  early  conditions, 
75,  76 

"Kentucky  Revival,  The,"  Richard 
McNemar,  SI 

Kernodle,  P.  J.,  iirincipal  Sufifolk  Col- 
lesiate  Institute,  276 

Kerr.  Rev.  D.  \V..  educator  of  note, 
161 ;  founder  and  editor  of  Chris- 
tian Sun.  381 

Kerr.  Rev.  E.  C,  president  of  Palmer 
Collese,  322 

Kern,  Thomas,  and  Union  Christian 
College.  198 

Kins.  Rev.  Jabez,  n.  114 

Kins.  Joseph,  principal  Suffolk  Col- 
legiate Institute,  276 

Klnkade.  Rev.  William,  sketch  of  life. 
58-67 ;  his  "The  Bible  Doctrine," 
177,  178  :  opposes  slavery  and  liq- 
uor traffic.  362 

Kitaniura.  ^Irs.  Mina,  352 

Knight,  Rev.  Josiah,  and  Antloch, 
279 

Kochensperger,  Martin,  trustee  Chris- 
tian Book  Association,  n.  144 

Koshiba,  Rev.  Saburo,  351 

Ladies'  ArxiLiAnv  Home  Mission- 
ary Society  op  N.  Y.  Western 
Conference,  249,  389 

Lafayette    T'niversity,    proposed.    164 

Lane.  Rev.  William,  trustee  Christian 
Book  Association,  n.  144 :  presi- 
dent General  Conference,  379  ;  edit- 
or hymn  book,  382 

Lanphier.  Rev.  William,  244 ;  gives 
statistics.  372  :  characterizes  early 
denomination.   373.   374 

"Last  Will  and  Testament  of  the 
Springfield  Presbytery."  50 

Latchaw,  Rev.  .T.  R.  II.,  president 
Defiance  College.  328.  330.  presi- 
dent Palmer  I'niversity.  332 

Lawrance.  Marion,  Sunday-school  ex- 
pert. 361 

Lee.  Capt.  W.  .1.,  and  Christian  Or- 
phanage, 339 

Le  Grand  Christian  Institute  (see 
Palmer  College),  sketch  of.  203- 
206.  280,  281.  309;  becomes  Le 
Grand  Christian  College,  281 

I/e  Grand  fossils.   204 

"Lessons  of  Love."  catechism.  168 

Lines.  Rev.  D.  M..  and  I^e  Grand 
Christian  Institute.  203.  322 

"Little  Teacher.  The."   282 

"Lives  of  Christian  Ministers."  P.  J. 
Kernodle.   169.   214,   240,   253 

TAvinrj  Christian.  The.  385 

Local  conference,  first  regularly  or- 
ganized.   130;   development  of.   140 

Lohr.  Rev.  M.  M.,  and  Antloch  Col- 
lege.  279 

Long.  Rev.  D.  A.,  president  Antloch 
College,    197,    263,   279,   321  ;   pres- 


ident Christian  Publishing  Associa- 
tion. 282  ;  and  ,Tapan  mission.  286  ; 
I)resident  American  Christian  Con- 
vention. 380 ;  editor  Spirit  and 
Life.   385 

Long,  Mrs.  D.  A.,  treasurer  Woman's 
Board  for  Home  Missions,  288 

Ijong,  Rev.  H.  E.,  president  Frank- 
linton    Christian   College.    285,   331 

Long,  Rev.  W.  S.,  educator,  founder 
of  Graham  College.  208  ;  president 
Elon  (College.  326  ;  connection  with 
Christian   Orphanage,   339 

Louis,  Rev.  Gideon,    n.   114 

Lucas,  Rev.  W.  V.,  308 

Lyndon,  Vt.,  where  denomination  in 
New  England  began,  93 

Lynn,  Rev.  J.  T.,  editor  Oospcl  Her- 
ald. 381 

MacClenny,  W.  B.,  "Life  of  Rev. 
.Tames  O'KoIly,"   156 

Mackenzie,  ,Iohn.  editor  hymn  book, 
3S2 

Magazines,  236 

Manakintown,  Va.,  first  Christian 
Church  organized  there,  n.  90 

Mann,  Hon.  Horace,  sketch  of  life  of, 
194,  195  ;  biography  of.  214 

Mann.  Rev.  Horace,  and  missionary 
conference.  355 

Manning.  Rev.  J.  N..  and  Suffolk  Col- 
legiate Institute,  275 

Manual  for  Sunday  School  Use,  168 

Maple,  Rev.  James,  editor  Oospel 
Herald.  381 

Marsh,  Rev.  Joseph,  editor  Christian 
PaUadium.  381 

Marshall.  Rev.  Robert,  connection 
with  Presbyterians,  50 

Martin,  Rev."  C.  W.,  n.  114 ;  editor 
hymn  book,  382 

Marvin,  Rev.  J.  W.,  editor  Oospel 
Herald.  381 

Marvin.  Rev.  Seth,  agent  Christian 
Palladium,  145 

Massachusetts  Christian  Benevolent 
Society,  247 

Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island  Do- 
mestic Missionary  Society.  248,  388 

McBroom.   Rev.  J.  II.,  343 

McCalla.  Rev.  W.  L.,  debates  with 
Frederick  Plummer.  178 

McCaulev.  J.  C,  and  Defiance  Col- 
lege.  330 

McCord.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  E.  K.,  mis- 
sionaries, 350 

McConnell.  Rev.  H.  K.,  and  Ohio 
State  Christian  Association.  265 

McCullough.  Rev.  Peter,  and  Chris- 
tian Extension  Society,  n.  251  ;  and 
missions,  n.   257 

McDaniel.  Rev.  Moses,  and  Le  Grand 
Christian    Institute.   281 

McGroady.  Rev.  James,  in  Kentucky 
revival,  77 

McHenrv.  Prof.  B.  F..  principal  of 
StarkPV  Sominarv.  212.  320;  pub- 
lisher of  Our  Work.  237 

McKeen,     James,     trustee     Christian 


402 


INDEX 


Book  Association,  n.  144 ;  editor 
liymn  book,   382 

McKinney,  Rev.  A.  L.,  and  slavery 
resolutions,  219 

McMaster  University,  331 

McNemar,  Richard,  heresy  case  of, 
49,  50,  55,  56,  80,  90-98;  connec- 
tion with  Shakers,  50 ;  on  name 
"New    Lights,"    369 

McQuaid,  Bishop,  202 

McReynolds,  Rev.  N.  Del,  president 
Franklinton  Christian  College,  331 

McReynolds,  Rev.  P.  W.,  president  of 
Christian  Biblical  Institute,  324  ; 
president  Defiance  College,  329, 
330 

McWhinney,  Rev.  T.  M.,  and  Chris- 
tian Extension  Society,  n.  251  ;  and 
Ohio  State  Christian  Association, 
265  ;  mentioned,  331 ;  temperance 
agitator,  363 ;  editor  Herald  of 
Gospel  Libert!/,  380 

Meadville  Theological  School,  sketch 
of,  200  :  mentioned,  307 

Mefford,  Rev.  Geo.  W.,  269 

Memorial  Christian  Temple,  com- 
memorating union  of  denomination 
north  and  south,  263,  264 

Merom  Bluff  Academy,   198 

Merrifleld,  A.  M.,  connection  with 
Antioch  College,  192,  195 

Merritt,  Rev.  G.  B.,  editor  Spirit  and 
Life,  385 

Methodists  in  early  Virginia,  16,  72, 
73,  86  ;  revolt  from,  87-92 

Millard,  Rev.  David,  ordained,  114 ; 
editor  Christian  Palladium,  135, 
145  ;  connection  with  Antioch  Col- 
lege, n.  194 ;  professor  in  Mead- 
ville Theological  School,  200 ;  sec- 
retary and  president  General  Chris- 
tian Conference,  379 ;  editor  Her- 
ald of  Gospel  Liberty,  380  ;  editor 
hymn  book,  382 ;  author  of  "The 
True  Messiah,"  383 ;  author  of 
tracts,  386 

Millard.  Rev.  D.  E.,  and  the  Amer- 
ican Christian  Convention,  n.  222  ; 
mission  secretary,  251 

Millar,  Rev.  Nelson,  140 

Miller,  Rev.  William,  author  of  Sec- 
ond Adventist  doctrine,  sketch  of, 
174 :  book  on  the  second  coming, 
n.  175 

Miller,  Rev.  William,  president  Craig- 
ville  Camp  Meeting  Association, 
261 

Mills.  .Judge,  of  Yellow  Springs,  194, 
280 

Minckwitz,  R.  A.,  principal  of  Defi- 
ance Female  Seminary,  327,  330 

ISIinisterial   Education,  Board  of,  222 

Ministers,  early,  suffer  in  west,  245 

Mishler,  Miss  .Tennie,  missionary.  353 

Missionary  efforts,  early,  243-253 ; 
early  organizations,  246,  388,  389 

Missionary  societies,  early,  in  many 
conferences,   247 

Mission  Board  of  the  General  Con- 
vention, 218  ;  enlarged,  355 


Missions  in  the  American  Christian 
Convention,  250,  251 

IMissionary  conferences,  354,  355 

Missionary  society  in  Boston  church, 
early,   249,   389 

"Missionary  and  the  Indian,  The," 
n.   252 

Alissionary  society,  first  woman's, 
288 

"Modern  Light  Bearers,"  by  J.  P. 
Barrett,  154.   156,  360,  366 

Moffitt,  E.  L.,  president  Elon  College, 
320  ;  editor  Cliristian  tSun.  381 

Mooney,  Rev.  Isaac,  and  Kansas  State 
Christian  Conference,  267 

Moore,  Rev.  D.  W.,  delegate  to  Gen- 
eral Baptists,  310  ;  secretary  Amer- 
ican Christian  Convention,  380 

Moral  Reform  :  anti-slavery,  362 ; 
aaitation  against  liquor  traffic, 
362  ;  equality  of  women,  363 

Morgridge,  Rev.  Charles,  principal 
Starkey  Seminary,  164,  320 ;  au- 
thor,  383 

Morning  Star,  The,  360 

Morrill,  Rev.  A.  H.,  mentioned,  7 ; 
principal  Starkey  Seminary,  281, 
320 ;  secretary  Christian  Publish- 
ing Association,  282 ;  reports  on 
Woman's  Board  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, 287  ;  field  secretary,  341  ; 
president  American  Christian  Con- 
vention, 380 

Morton,  Rev.  A.  G.,  editor  Herald 
of  Gospel  Liberty,  380 

Moulton,  E.  F.,  principal  of  Wolfe- 
boro  Christian  Institute.  210 

Moulton,  Rev.  T'.  C,  editor  hymn 
book,  3S2 

Mudge,  Rev.  Elisha,  n.  257 ;  presi- 
dent Union  Christian  College,  281, 
321 

Nance,  Rev.  Clement,  112 

Nelson,  Rev.   C.  G.,  president  Kansas 

Christian  College,  324 
New  England,  sketch  of  conditions  in, 

74,  75 
New     England     Christian     Academy, 

162 
New   England   Christian   Literary   In- 
stitute    (see    Wolfeboro     Christian 

Institute),  sketch  of,  209 
New    England    Christian    Home    and 

Foreign  Missionary  Society,  229 
New      England      Christian      Sabbath 

School  Association,   230 
New    England    Christian    Convention, 

sketch      of,      229-231  ;      commends 

Theodore    Tilton,    232 ;    mentioned. 

248 ;    and    African    mission,    252 ; 

home      missions,      260 ;      Christian 

Endeavor,   261 ;   later  history,   341, 

342 
New     England     Home     and     Foreign 

IMissionary  Society,  248.  388 
New  England   Manual   Labor  School, 

162 
New     England     Missionary     S'ociety, 

248.  388 


INDEX 


403 


New  ITampshire  Christian  Benevo- 
lent Society,  247 

Newhouse,  Key.  S.  S.,  editor  Chris- 
tian Pulpit,  28(5 

News  and  Ob.'^erver,  Ilaleigli,  333 

New  Yorlc  Eastern  Benevolent  and 
Missionary  Society,  249,  389 

Keir  York  Tribune.  202 

Niclinames  "Clirist-yan,"  "Scliismat- 
ics,  "New  Lishts,"  "Reformers," 
117 

Noble,  Rev.  William,  publislier  Cana- 
dian Christian  Luminary,  153 

Northrup,  Rev.  A.   J.,  3G0 

Nutt,  Rev.  Samuel,  in  New  Bruns- 
wick, 112 

Oberlin  Theological  Seminary,  351 

Offlll,  Rev.  John,  268 

Offill,  Rev.  Johnson,  268 

Ohio  Christian  Book  Association 
(called  also  Western  Christian 
Book  Association).    148 

Ohio  Missionary  Society,  249,  389 

O'Kelly,  Rev.  James,  sketch  of  life 
of,  15-20 ;  his  withdrawal  from 
Methodists,  89-98 ;  biography  of, 
66,  156,  244  ;  opposes  slavery,  362 

Organized  missions,  284 ;  see  also 
under  Missions 

Orton.  Edward,  president  Antioch 
College,  197 

Osborne,  Rev.  J.  W.,  president  Amer- 
ican Christian  Convention,  380 

Our  ^york,  237 

Owens,  Rev.   Enoch,  n.   114 

Palmer  College  (see  Le  Grand  Chris- 
tian College),  266  ;  change  of  name, 
321.  presidents  of,  322 

Palmer,  Hon.  F.  A.,  benefactor  of 
Starljey  Seminary,  Union  Christian 
College,  I'almer  College,  Elon  Col- 
lege, 319-321,  325;  supposed  con- 
nection with  Palmer  University, 
332 

Palmer  Institute-Starkey  Seminary 
(see   Starkev   Seminary),   357,   358 

Palmer  Fund.  356,  357 

I'almer  University,  332 

Pamphleteering,  i53,   154 

Parker,  Rev.  Theodore,  202 

Parker,  Rev.  Isaac  A.,  n.  Ill 

Pearce,  W.  C,  Sunday-school  expert, 
361 

Peavey,  Rev.  J.  L.,  preaches  in  Prov- 
ince of  Quebec,  113  ;  president  Gen- 
eral Conference,  379 

Pendleton,    Rev.    Coleman,   n.    Ill 

Penrod,  Miss  Christine,  missionary, 
201,   288 

Perry,  Rev.  Lyman,  secretary  Gen- 
eral Convention,  379 

Perry.  Rev.  J.  A.,  Horatio  N.,  and 
Frederick  A.,  relations  with  Craig- 
ville  Camp  Meeting  Association, 
261 

Pike.  Rev.  D.  P..  189,  201,  n.  222 ; 
editor  Christian  Herald,  236  ;  pub- 
lishes magazine,   236  ;   president  of 


General  Convention,  379 ;  editor 
Herald  of  Oospcl  Liberty,  380  ;  ed- 
itor hymn   books,   382 

I'ittman,   Benn,  stenographer,  178 

I'ledger,  Rev.  Murrill,  n.  Ill 

I'huniner,  Rev.  Frederick,  relations 
w  itli  IiTlias  Smith,  41  ;  preaches  in 
Virginia,  110;  trustee  Christian 
Book  Association,  n.  144  ;  debates 
with  W.  L.  McCalla,  178 ;  men- 
tioned, 244,  375  ;  president  General 
Conference,  379  ;  editor  hymn  book. 
382 

Porto  Rico  Christian  Conference,  354 

I'orto  Rico  mission,  353 

Portsmouth  Juvenile  Missionary  So- 
ciety, 250,  253,  389 

Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  home  of  Ellas 
Smith,  and  first  place  of  publica- 
tion of  Herald  of  Gospel  Liberty, 
39,  40,   71,  95 

Portsmouth  Sunday  School  Mission- 
ary Society,  250,  253,  389 

Poste,  Rev.  Z.  A.,  proposed  for  Japan 
mission,  286 ;  president  Franklln- 
ton  Christian  College,  331 

Potter,  Rev.  Reuben,  publishes  Gos- 
pel Palladium,  382 

Powers,  Rev.  O.  W.,  mentioned,  7 ; 
delegate  to  I'ittsburgh  conference, 
314  ;  president  American  Christian 
Convention,   380 

"Presbyterian  Church  in  Kentucky, 
History  of,"  by  Robert  Davidson, 
81 

"Primary  Sunday  School  Question 
Book."   catechism.   237 

Principles  of  the  Christians.  385 

"I'rinciples  and  Government  of  the 
Christian    Church.    The."    227.    228 

Principles  and  Polity  of  the  Chris- 
tian denomination,  176 

Proctor  Academy  (see  Wolfeboro 
Christian   Institute),  210 

Publishing   Associations,   146-150 

Purdue.  Rev.  ,Iohn  P..  n.  Ill 

Purdue  University,  164 

Purviance.  Rev.  David,  sketch  of  life 
of,  53-58 ;  quits  Presbyterians  on 
account  of  Calvinism,  100 ;  men- 
tioned. 244  ;  assists  in  ordination 
of  William  Kinkade,  60 ;  Ijiogra- 
phy  of,  66  ;  on  religious  conditions 
in  Kentucky,  369  ; 

Putnam,  Rev.  Benjamin,  editor  hymn 
book.  382 

Quaker  Street  Institute,  213 
Queen's  University,  331 

Raikes.  Robert,  166 

Rand,    Rev.    John,    president   General 

Conference,    141.    379 ;    mentioned, 

244  ;  editor   of  hymn  book,   382 
Randall,   Rev.    Benjamin,   and  rise  of 

Free  Will  Baptists,  86 
Red  Creek  Academy,  212 
Reeder.    Rev.    J.    G.,    president    Ohio 

Christian  Book  Association.  148 


404 


INDEX 


Religious  .Tournalism,  Centennial  of, 
359-361 

"Report  of  the  First  International 
aiissionary  Conference,"  366 

Republican  Methodist  Church,  91 

Retrospect  of  one  hundred  years,  290- 
294 

Reunion  of  denomination  north  and 
south,   259 

Revival,  famous  Kentucky,  48,  49,  55 

Reynolds,  Rev.  W.  J.,  principal  of 
S'tarkey  Seminary,  281,  320 

Rice,  Rev.  David,  Presbyterian  min- 
ister, 76 

Rhodes,  Rev.  and  Mrs.  H.  J.,  mis- 
sionaries, 288  ;  and  Porto  Rico  mis- 
sion, 353 

Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts 
Christian  Benevolent  Society,  247 

Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts  Min- 
isterial Association,  261 

Rippey,  Rev.  G.  W.,  and  Illinois  State 
Christian  Conference,   267 

Robbin,  S.  D.,  and  Manual  Labor 
School,    162 

Roberts,  Mrs.  Abigail,  evangelist, 
363 

Roberts,  Rev.  Daniel,  labors  of,  107, 
112 

Roberts,  Rev.  O.  A.,  principal  of  Le 
Grand  Christian  Institute,  205,  322 

Roberts,  Rev.  Philetus,  .and  slavery, 
219 ;  secretary  Christian  Publica- 
tion  Society,   386 

Rogers,  Rev.  John,  forwards  Ken- 
tucky "union,"  132 ;  on  the  "un- 
ion," 303 

Rollins,  Rev.  E.  B.,   382 

Ross,  Rev.  .John,  n.  114 ;  secretary 
(Jeneral  Conference,  379 ;  editor 
Christian  Palladium,  381 

Rush,  Rev.  H.  Y.,  and  Christian  Ex- 
tension Society,  n.  251  ;  editor  Her- 
ald of  Oospel  Liberty  and  Oospel 
Herald,  380,  381 

Russell,  Rev.  P.  R.,  and  Manual  La- 
bor School,  162 ;  prepares  cate- 
chism, 168  ;  editor  Herald  of  Oos- 
pel Liberti/,  380 ;  "Letters  to  a 
Universalist,"  383 ;  "Life  of 
Christ."  383 

SiAMUEL,  Rev.  W.  D.,  president  Amer- 
ican Christian  Convention,  379 

Sanford,  A.  W.,  and  Union  Christian 
College,    198 

Schindler,  Rev.  Daniel,  editor  The 
Lirinq  Chrislian.  3S5 

Schools,  early,  100-105 

Scott,  Rev.   Isaac,  missionary,  252 

Scovel,  Rev.  Chester,  n.   114 

"Scriptural  Manual,"  a  catechism, 
168 

Secondary  education,  revival  in,  159- 
165 

Sellon,  Rev.  P.  R.  and  Lois  L.,  and 
Aged  Ministers'  Home,   357 

Shaw,  Rev.  Elijah,  memoir  of,  156, 
186,  253  ;  missionary  agitator,  245. 
250 :  president  General  Conference. 


379  :  editor  Herald  of  Gospel  Lib- 
erty, 380 

STioales,  Rev.  Joshua,  n.  114 

Simonds,  Rev.  J.  Wesley,  principal 
New  England  Christian  Literary 
Institute,   209 

Smith.  Rev.  Ellas,  sketch  of  life  of, 
31-45 ;  biography  of,  66 ;  break 
with  Baptists  and  Methodists,  94- 
99 ;  sets  northern  Virginia  in  an 
uproar,  110;  mentioned,  244;  ed- 
itor Herald  of  Oospel  Liberty,  380  ; 
editor  hymn  books,  381  ;  editor 
"New  Testament  Dictionary,"  383  ; 
author  of  "An  Illustration  of  the 
Prophecies,"   and  other  works,  383 

Smith,  Rev.  Geo.  L.,  n.  Ill 

Smith,  Rev.  John,  forwards  Kentucky 
"union,"   132 

Smith.  Rev.  T.  C,  editor  Christian 
Pulpit,  236  ;  editor  Our  Work,  237  ; 
president  Union  Christian  College, 
321 

Smith,  Rev.  W.  C,  and  Le  Grand 
Christian  Institute.  281 

Snethen,  Rev.  Abraham,  "barefoot 
preacher,"  198 ;  mention  of,  244 ; 
autobiography  of,   81 

Southern  Christian  Association  (see 
Southern  Christian  Convention), 
225 

Soutliern  Christian  Convention, 
sketch  of,  225-227,  263  ;  home  mis- 
sions of,  263 ;  looks  toward  for- 
eign work,  264  ;  later  history,  339- 
341 

Southern  Home  Missionary  Society, 
248,  388 

Southern  publishing  interests,  235 

Springfield  Presbytery,  famous,  50,  55 

Spirit  of  the  time,  71-81 

Spoor,  Rev.  .John,  n.  114 

Spoor,  Rev.  John,  Jr.,  president  Gen- 
eral Convention,  379 

S'poradic  growth  of  denomination, 
110-118 

Staley,  Rev.  W.  W.,  instructor  in 
Suffolk  Collegiate  Institute,  276 ; 
president   of  Elon   College,    326 

Stamp.  Rev.  W.  K..  and  Kansas  State 
Christian  Conference,   267 

Star  in  the  East,  221 

Stanton,  Rev.  Amasa.  president  Gen- 
eral Conference,  380 

Starkey  Seminary,  early  days  of.  163  ; 
STibsequent  history,  211,  281  ;  re- 
juvenated,  319  ;   presidents  of,   320 

Starkey  Seminary  monthly,  333 

State  Association  of  Churches  of 
Christ  in  Iowa,  308 

State  conferences,  264-269 

Statistics,  115.  128,  174,  239,  272, 
364,  372.  373,  386 

Stebbins,  Rev.  R.  P.,  president  of 
Meadville  Ideological  School,  and 
of  American  Christian  Convention, 
217,  380 

Stevens,  Rev.  Plowden,  and  Christian 
Extension  Society,  n.  251 


INDEX 


405 


Stockard.  Rev.  H.  J.,  editor  Spirit 
and  Life,  38G 

Stone,  Kev.  Barton  W.,  sketch  of  life 
of.  4.")-52  ;  biography  of,  6G  ;  reason 
for  quitting  Presbyterians,  DO ; 
cause  of  Disciples  of  Christ  calling 
themselves         "Christians"  and 

"Christian  Church,"  135,  304  ;  men- 
tioned, 244  ;  on  conditions  of  "un- 
ion." .303 ;  effects  "union"  in  Illi- 
nois, 304  :  believed  in  baptism  for 
remission  of  sins,  n.  304  ;  opposes 
slavery,  362 ;  approves  his  early 
position,  376 

Stowe,  Rev.  W.  R.,  and  Antioch  Col- 
lege, n.  194  :  secretary  General 
Convention,   370 

Stoner,  Rev.  G.  R.,  president  Kansas 
Christian   College.   324 

Strickland,  Rev.  Mary  A.,  president 
Woman's  Board  for  Home  Missions, 

Suffolk  Collegiate  Institute,  213,  276, 

277 
Sulllngs,   Rev.  Hervey,  n.    229  ;   pres- 
ident General   Conference,  379 
Sulzer,  Rev.  J.  P.,  269 
Summerbell,   Rev.  B.  F..  and  "union 

with  the  Disciples  of  Christ.  305 
Summerbell.    Rev.    Carlyle,    president 
of   Palmer   College,    322 ;   secretary 
celebration  of  Centennial  of  Relig- 
ious  ,Tournalism,   360 
Summerbell,  Rev.  J.  J.,  associate  ed- 
itor   Christian    Pulpit,    236 ;    asso- 
ciate editor  Our  Work,  237  ;  issues 
biography   of   his   father,   253 ;    ed- 
itor American  Christian,  283;  del- 
egate    to     Pittsburgh     conference, 
314  •   secretary  American  Christian 
Convention,   380  ;  editor  Herald  of 
Gospel  Liberty,  380 
Summerbell.    Rev.    Martyn,    president 
Christian    Correspondence    College, 
278    326  ;   attends   meeting  to   dis- 
cuss "union"  with  the  Disciples  of 
Christ,    305 ;    president   of    Starkey 
Seminary,    320 ;    editor    Spirit    and 
Life,  385 
Summerbell,    Rev.    K,    6 ;    author    of 
"History  of  the  Christian  Churcli, 
100    214 ;    lays    cornerstone   at   Le 
Grand     Christian     Institute,     205 ; 
editor     "Autobiography     of     Elder 
Matthew    Gardner,"    214 ;    debates 
with  Rev    .1.  M.  Flood,  178  ;  sketch 
of  life  of,  109.  200  ;  relations  with 
American  Christian  Convention,   n. 
ooo  .   publishes   The  Christian  Pul- 
pit '  236  ;    delegate    to    Ecumenical 
Missionary    Conference,    290;    pres- 
ident Union  Christian  College,  321  ; 
secretary   American  Christian  Con- 
vention,"^ 380  ;  editor  Herald  of  Gos- 
pel IJberty,  380 
Sunday-schools,  early,  383  ;  sketch  of. 

165-169  ;  later  361 
Sunday  School  Herald,  founded,  221  ; 
later  mention.  236,  282.  309 


Sunday-schools  in  Southern  Chris- 
tian Convention,  340 

Sunday-school  statistics,  225 

Suiida'u  School  Times,  360 

Sutphen,  Hon.  S.  T.,  benefactor  of 
Deliance.  329 

Swain,  Rev.  Joseph  S.,  360 

Swansea  Christian  Church,  n.  90 

Syesmore,  Rev.  Epison,  268 

Taylor,  Rev.  Benjamin,  memoir  of. 
253  ;  president  General  Conference, 
=579  „     . 

Taylor,  James,  trustee  Christian  Book 
Association,  n.  144 

Taylor,  Rev.  John,  n.  114 

Taylor,  Rev.  John  S.,  trustee  Chris- 
tian Book  Association,  n.  144 

Tennev,  Rev.  George,  professor  in 
Kansas  Christian  College,  276,  277 

Terrell,  Mrs.  Melissa,  first  woman 
minister  ordained  in  modern  times, 
363 

Thomas,  Rev.  Joseph,  called  "White 
I'ilgrim,"  20,  244 

Thompson,  Rev.  John,  relations  with 
Presbyterians,  50 ;  charged  with 
heresy,  80 

Thompson,   Rev.  Jonathan,  n.  114 

Tillinghast,  Rev.  C.  A.,  and  Craig- 
ville  Camp  Meeting  Association, 
261 

Titus,  Rev.  Anson,  TJniversalist  min- 
ister, 360 

Toby.  Rev.  Z.,  162 ;  quits  Christians, 
n.  162 

Tokyo  Christian  Theological  School, 
352 

Towner.  Rev.  J.  L.,  and  Illinois  State 

Christian  Conference,  267 
Transvlvania  University,   161 
Trowbridge,   Hon.    Lyman,  benefactor 

of  Defiance  College,  329 
Tryon.   Rev.   I.   C,   and  "union"  with 
Disciples  of  Christ.  .305  ;  publishes 
The    Christian   Church   and    Chris- 
tian Palladium,  385 
True.    Miss    Alice,    missionary,    350, 

352 
Tucker,  I.  M.,  president  Defiance  Col- 
lege, 380 
Turner,  TTiomas  E.,  principal  Starkey 
Seminary,  320 

Ullery,  Rev.  J.  F.,  principal  Frank- 
linton  Christian  College,  331 

Union,  famous  Kentucky,  history  of, 
51.  132-134 ;  avoids  "speculative" 
teaching,  177  ;  variously  interpret- 
ed, 297.  298 ;  advocated  by  B.  W. 
Stone,  297 ;  with  Free  Will  Bap- 
tists. 299-302 ;  with  Disciples  of 
Christ,  302-306 ;  with  Unitarians, 
306,  307 ;  with  Christian  Union, 
307-310 ;  with  General  Baptists. 
310.  311  ;  sporadic  cases.  311  ;  with 
Congregationalists.  311-313;  Cin- 
cinnati convention.  313,  314  ;  Pitts- 
burgh    four-denomination     confer- 


406 


INDEX 


ence,  314-316 ;  O'Kellv's  plan  for, 
374  ;  attitude  of  W.  B.  Wellons  to- 
ward, 390 ;  in  American  Cliristian 
Convention,  258 

Union  Cliristian  College,  sketch  of, 
198-200  ;  and  state  conferences  of 
Indiana  and  Illinois,  267,  268 ; 
later  history,  281,  288,  320,  321, 
351  ;  presidents  of,  321 

Union  Christian  Star,  343 

Unitarians,  early,  in  Boston  and  New 
York,  86 

Upheaval  of  the  ecclesiastical  crust, 
82-100 

Utsunomiya  Christian  Girls'  School, 
352 

Vantine,   a.    M.,    president   Defiance 

College,   330 
Virginia,  post-Revolutionary,  71-73 

Wade,  Rev.  E.  R.,  and  "union"  with 
Disciples  of  Christ,  305 

Wade,  Rev.  P.  R.,  principal  of  Le 
Grand  Christian  Institute,  205,  322 

Wait,  Rev.  O.  J.,  president  Antioch 
College,  197,  279 ;  benefactor 
Franklinton  Christian  College,  286  ; 
editor  Herald  of  Oospel  Liberty, 
380 

Walker,  Rev.  W.  T.,  editor  Christian 
Sun,  283,  381 

Walter,  Rev.  I.  N.,  agitates  for  re- 
organization of  General  Confer- 
ence, 144 ;  editor  Oospel  Herald, 
148,  381  ;  statistics  of  his  journeys 
and  labors,  244 ;  pledge  signing 
crusade,  362 ;  president  General 
Convention,  379 

Ward,  Rev.  William  Hayes,  258 

Watchman,  The,  360 

Waterman,  Rev.  G.  C,  360 

Watkins,  Rev.  B.  A.,  7 ;  president 
Palmer  College,  322 

Watson,  Mrs.  Drue  Purviance,  edi- 
tor Our  Work,  237 

Watson,  L.  F.,  publisher  Our  Work, 
237 

Watson,  Rev.  J.  P.,  203 ;  Secretary 
Christian  Extension  Society,  251  ; 
"father"  of  denominational  organ- 
ized missions,  252 ;  mission  secre- 
tary, 257,  284 ;  relations  with 
Franklinton  Christian  College, 
285 ;  Inaugurates  foreign  mission 
campaign,  286 ;  editor  Herald  of 
Oospel  Liierty,  380 

Watson,  Mrs.  J.  P.,  secretary  Wo- 
man's Board  for  Home  Missions, 
288 

Wayne,  Gen.  Anthony,  327 

Weaubleau  Christian  Institute,  206, 
207 ;  becomes  a  college,  281,  322, 
323  ;  presidents  of,  323 

Wellons.  Rev.  J.  W.,  and  Franklinton 
Christian  College,  285 

Wellons,  Rev.  W.  B.,  educator,  212; 
attitude  on  slavery,  219  ;  his  work. 


226,  227  ;  president  Suffolk  Collegi- 
ate Institute,  275  ;  editor  Christian 
Sun,  381  ;  attitude  toward  "union," 
390 

Wells,  Prof.  Amos  R.,  360,  361  ;  ed- 
itor Spirit  and  Life,  385 

Wesley,  Rev.  John,  letter  of  to 
Francis  Asbury,  371 

Western  Christian  Book  Association 
(see  Ohio  Christian  Book  Associa- 
tion, and  Christian  Publishing  As- 
sociation), 236,  356 

Weston,  Mrs.  Achsah  E.,  president 
Woman's  Board  for  Foreign  Mis- 
sions, 287 

Weston,  Rev.  J.  B.,  article  in  Anti- 
och College  Bulletin,  191,  195  ;  con- 
nections with  Antioch,  196,  197 ; 
president  Christian  Biblical  Insti- 
tute, 203,  324 ;  secretary  Ohio 
State  Christian  Association,  265 ; 
chancellor  Defiance  College,  324 ; 
editor  Herald  of  Oospel  Liberty, 
380  ;  editor  hymn  book,  382 

Weston,  Stephen  F.,  dean  of  Antioch 
College,  197 

Whitaker,  Rev.  John,  sketch  of  life 
of,  206,  207  ;  president  Weaubleau 
Christian  College,  323 

Whitaker,  Rev.  O.  B.,  president  Kan- 
sas Christian  College,  277 ;  presi- 
dent Union  Christian  College,  321, 
324 ;  president  Weaubleau  Chris- 
tian College,  323  ;  author  of  "Her- 
bert Brown,"  363 

White,  Rev.  James  P.,  268 

White,  Rev.  T.  E.,  missionary,  353 

Whitelock,  Hon.  O.  W.,  president 
Christian  Publishing  Association, 
356,  360 

Whitley,  Rev.  J.  T.,  editor  Christian 
Sun  and  president  Southern  Chris- 
tian Convention,  228,  381 

Wilde,  Rev.  Samuel,  first  Sunday- 
school  organizer,  n.  167 

Wilgus,  Rev.  Vina  B.,  347 

Williams,  Rev.  Robert,  Methodist 
minister,  16 

Williams,  Roger,  and  Baptists  in  New 
England,  84 

Williamson,  Rev.  E.,  secretary-treas- 
urer Ohio  State  Christian  Associa- 
tion, 148 

Williamson,  Rev.  James,  editor  Gos- 
pel Herald,  381 

Wilson.  Mrs.  Emily,  benefactress  of 
l''rankIinton  Christian  College, 
Christian  Biblical  Institute,  and 
Children's  Mission,  285 

Wilson,  Rev.  James,  n.  114 

Winebrenner,  Rev.  John,  "History  of 
All  the  Religious  Denominations," 
100 

Wolfeboro  Christian  Institute  (see 
Proctor  Academy).   209,  210 

Women's  Auxiliary  Missionary  Socie- 
ties in  Michigan,  249,  389 

Woman's  Board  for  Foreign  Missions, 
257,  287  ;  names  of  first  Board,  n. 
287 


INDEX 


407 


Woman's  Board  for   Home  Missions, 

257,  2S8 
Women's  Missionary  Societies  in  New 

Jersey,  early,  n.  288 
Woodworth,    Rev.    and    Mrs.    A.    D., 

missionaries,   288,  351 
World's  Fair,  protest  against  Sunday 

opening,  259 
Wright,      Rev.     Richard,      Methodist 

preacher,  16 


Wright,  Rev.  R.  J.,  professor  In 
Christian  Biblical  Institute.  203; 
publishes  magazine,  236 

Wyman,  Rev.  O.  T.,  n.  253 

Year  Book,  Christian,  272 
Young,  Rev.  George,  principal  Frank- 
linton    Christian   College,   285,   331 
Young,  Rev.  J.  B..  308 
Young  People's  Worker,  340 

Zion's  Ilerald,  360 


Date  Due 


ihrr—;^ 


j:ij: 


kV; 


■■"UHiuiinuHUHUUlUHIIIUlllillJI 

BX6765  IVI87 
A^'StoryoftheChnstMndencnaUon 


nary-SpeerLibr, 


1    1012  00020  7102 


ill'  l.l  i.ll.liliL.lll 


11 


illiH^^^ 


